The Honeymoon
by bluegirl-783
Summary: Set post PD2 when Joseph and Clarisse are newlyweds and heading off on their honeymoon... fairly self explanatory
1. Our Wedding Night

**The Honeymoon**

_Based on another story I've written, this covers the day Clarisse and Joseph were married and the honeymoon that they enjoy..._

The many lights of the royal palace in Pyrus shone out into the warm July night, illuninating the gardens, grounds and driveway while lighting up the way for the well dressed guests who exited the main front doors, down the stone steps and into their respective cars, all of whom were still talking about the evening's events, just as they always did once the balls or state dinners were over, the royal family having retired for the evening.

This occasion was a little different to the others in that it had been a wedding reception and, even more interestingly, instead of it being for the Princess, who had been engaged to marry Lord Andrew Jacoby so that she could ascend the throne, it had, in a surprising twist, been for her grandmother Clarisse, the reigning Queen of Genovia and her devoted Head of Security, Joseph Bonnell. Their relationship had been the worst kept secret in Genvoia, despite their best efforts, but instead of discussing that night, the departing guests were speculating as to why they had waited so long to marry.

"Maybe Her Majesty wanted to wait until the Princess was ready to ascend the throne," one wife sensibly suggested.

"Maybe it was a whirlwind romance!" another added.

"Yes, I can definitely see old Joe sweeping Her Majesty off her feet!" one member of parliament chortled, but their words were in good fun and not at all malicious- for the most part, they wee all pleased for the Queen and Joseph- they had been in love for so long, they deserved to be happy.

"I wonder where they went after they left... they just snuck out," someone wondered aloud, a question that some of the others wondered about too, although they knew that they would never know where they went- they were newlyweds and, as far as the palace was concerned, they deserved their privacy now..

The happy couple in question were not quite as far away as some of the guests wondered- they were, in fact, only metres away, deep in the maze, strolling quietly hand in hand, compltely unaware that they were being gossiped about and not caring if they were- all that mattered to them was that they were together and married.

"It's a beautiful night," Joseph finally said as they strolled arm in arm towards the gazebo where he had proposed, content in each other's company yet still in mild stupefication at the afternoon's events that had resulted in the throne being secured for Mia and their marriage.

Joseph himself had been in a slight, disbelieving daze since they were pronounced husband and wife, although he had covered it well (much to Clarisse's pride) and had seemed unfazed though the reception line, dinner, their first dance and dancing with some of the other ladies, but now that they were alone, it finally hit him that Clarisse was no longer his employer and friend, but his wife... his bride, his wife... and he couldn't believe it- he had waited so long for ths, but now that it had happened, he was suddenly feeling a little nervous...

"It is indeed," Clarisse, agreed, relieved that he had intiated the conversation- he had been so quiet since they had snuck away from the reception, she had started to worry that he was starting to regret their impromptu marriage, especially after what had transpired between them two nights earlier. She wouldn't have blamed him if he had had second thoughts, she had let him down so badly, but now that they were here, together, her arm through his...

"I love walking in the gardens at night, especially in the summer- the air is so warm and balmy, the skies are so clear and star filled..."

"All you need is someone to accompany you," he finished in a low, husky voice and she blushed slightly as they sat down together on the stone bench in the gazebo before turning to him shyly.

"I did... and I do now- it's wonderful to know _my husband..._" she thrilled at the words. "... Will be accompanying me... that is, if you want to," he added hastily, not wanting to make assumptions before he smiled back and gently caressed her cheek gently... finally, he was allowed to touch her...

"I do- nothing would give me greater pleausre than to accompany you on walks in the garden- especially at night."

"No additional bodyguards?" she teased.

"Why do you need bodyguards if you have me?" he teased back and they chuckled together before they sat back and gazed back up at the stars, his arm around her shoulders and her head resting against his shoulder.

"I wonder if anyone has left yet," she said after a moment's peaceful silence- she was glad that they had snuck out and were finally alone- and he chuckled, relieved that he no longer had to worry about ensuring any straggling guests left and weren't wandering through the halls and that the palace ground were secure.

"I assume they would have started to- we left about..." he glanced quickly at his watch. "About half an hour ago, and I doubt Mia would have stayed much later after our departure, unless she really felt like celebrating, not that I blame her... so they wouldn't have had much to stare at or talk about..."

"Do you think they'll be talking about us for a long time after tonight?" she wondered out loud. "I wish they wouldn't, though, it's not as if we've done anything wrong."

"No we haven't, but you have to admit that what happened this afternoon was rather extraordinary... I'm still rather stunned at what happened," he sounded amused in the dark and she chuckled gently before twisting around to look at him directly- she didn't want to ruin the moment, but she had to know...

"You're not regretting today...are you?" she asked timidly and she almost immediately wished she hadn't asked when she saw the horrified look on his face before he hastily pulled her close.

"No, no, no, I definitely do NOT regret today," he said firmly.

"After what happened two days ago..."

"When I acted like a complete fool," he finished for her. "What happened two days ago was my mistake, I should have understood the pressures you were under, but never for one moment do I regret today... I DO regret walking out on you..."

"You were hurt," she stepped in quietly.

"But I then hurt you... nevertheless, I shouldn't have walked out on you..." he paused, again feeling the surge of guilt he had been feeling since that night before he forced himself back to the present- she was sitting next to him, his arms were around her... and they were married.

"Still, we need to put that all behind us... despite whatever mistakes I..."

"WE," she corrected- she had made just as many mistakes as he.

"...Alright, we made, we are now husband and wife..."

"And that's all that matters," she finished triumphantly, snuggling up to him again and they sat there for another long moment before Clarisse shivered as a slight, cooler breeze passed by- she hadn't changed from what she had worn to the wedding, and while it was a lovely outfit (and it was now to be considered her wedding dress, she thought with a thrill), the material was thin and the evening was getting cool.

Joseph felt her shiver and after feeling the breeze himself, glanced at his watch and realizing that it was approaching eleven, it was time to go in, a statement he made to Clarisse's seconds later as she stood up and held out a hand to her.

"I didn't realize it was as late as that," she looked startled as he helped her up and slipped her arm through his. "It has been so lovely out here... I never want this night to end," she added happily as they started up the path towards the palace, successfullly hiding the fact that nervous butterflies that had suddenly appeared in her stomach in anticipation of what was to happen tonight, their wedding night.

"I feel the same way," he agreed, sensing her nervousness and apprehension, and while he was feeling the same way, he was determined to keep the atmosphere light and relaxed between them- nothing had changed between them, except that they were now man and wife- and he wanted tonight to be special for her.

He knew her wedding with Rupert had hardly been a dream come true for an innocent nineteen year old girl who had been forced to marry Rupert, and he was thus doubly determined that her second wedding night would be far different AND a dream come true.

There was an awkward moment when they stepped into the palace's main foyer and paused at the bottom of the stairs- where were they going to stay, his rooms or her suite? Should they find Mia or Charlotte?- before Joseph solved the problem by pulling away from her.

"I'll collect a few possessions from my room and I'll meet you in your suite," he smiled gently at her- he could see she was more than a little tired and her thoughts were somewhat muddled, so he made the decision for them... besides, he though she would be more comfortable in her own suite- before she smiled in agreement and then said, with a blush:

"See you soon, then."

"See you soon," he promised as, almost simultaneously he headed down the hallway towards his rooms while she slowly walked up the stairs, neither of them breaking eye contact until it became impossible to see each other and then, once the other had disappeared from view, both Joseph and Clarisse hastened towards their respective rooms, keen to be ready when they met back in hers...

0

As soon as she entred her suite, Clarisse realized that Priscilla and Olivia, her ladies maids, had been at work- the lamps in the living room and her bedroom were the only electrical lights illuminating the room, although they had set up several candles on the mantlepiece and on the coffee table.

In addition, they had left a chilling bottle of champagne in an ice bucket, two glasses and two slices of wedding cake on the table and, when she peeked into the bedroom, they had even laid out one of her laciest silk nightgowns beside a pair of his black pyjamas and she again marvelled at how meticulous and attentive they were (although it was part of their job) before she suddenly realized Joseph was on his way- he would actually spend the night in her suite (THEIR suite, and the first of many, many nights) and they would be alone... not that they had never been alone when walking around the garden or when having one on one meetings, but this was different- they were husband and wife and they were 'allowed' to be alone... they needed to be alone... and suddenly the butterflies reappeared with a vengence.

So unnerved was she by the thought of being alone with Joseph (and the subsequent consequences) that after removing her shoes and jewellery, she remained in her wedding outfit and sat on the sofa, watching the candles flicker in the darkness, when she heard a soft knock on the door and Joseph stepped in when bidden- it was still her suite and he didn't want to push her too far.

"You don't have to knock, you know," Clarisse chided gently, relieved to see that he was still dressed, having only removed his tie, jacket and vest, and carrying a bag in one of his hands. "This is now your suite, you know... if we want it to be."

"I didn't want to push you, and I'll be fine wherever we'll be... I was going to bring my pyjamas," he added as he set the bag down in the corner and, with a quick glance into the bedroom, noted the presence of his pyjamas on the bed. "However, I notice that your maids were quite quick on the uptake... they never miss a beat, do they?"

"No they don't," she said with a small smile, sitting back against the sofa and trying to relax- it was Joseph, for Pete's sake, the one man she truly felt comfortable with and always had, but today they had crossed the boundary from friendship (and secret love) to marriage. "They're just as well informed as your security colleagues.

"Former colleagues," he corected as he sat down next to her and reached for the champagne- neither of them had had much to drink all evening and he suspected they both needed it now. "As of this afternoon, Scott is the royal family's Head of Security and HE has to be the one who needs to be well informed about the goings on in and outside the palace."

"Not everything," she said with a slightly bigger smile and he laughed, knowing exactly what she meant.

"No, definitely not everything," he agreed with a chuckle before handing her a champagne flute. "Anyway, I would like to propose a toast to you, Clarisse, my bride," he looked at her tenderly, love shinging out of his eyes and Clarisse didn't dare protest.

"It has taken us a long time to get where we are, but now that we're here, married, I've never been happier in my life being with you, my wife, and knowing that you are my wife..." he paused for a moment, still feeling a little overwhelmed that Clarisse was his now, just as he was hers. "... to my beautiful wife!" he toasted her and she blushed before they clinked glasses and drank a little of the bubbly liquid before relaxing back against the sofa, allowing a peaceful, happy silence to sweep over them- neither of them felt inclined to speak but were just content to sit there in each other's company.

"I wonder how Mia is feeling at the moment," he finally broke the silence- the room was dimlylit but he found it soothing and romantic- and she chuckled, knowing exactly how her granddaughter was feeling.

"I'm sure's she's quite relieved that she's not married."

"Are you?" he asked immediately and she nodded emphatically- she always had had doubts about her spirited Amelia marrying someone who, although quite pleasant and nice in his own way, was clearly too dull for her, but she hadn't been able to say anything to anyone, not even Joseph- the throne had been under threat and she had needed to ensure that Mia was capable and ready to take the throne and an arranged marriage had seemed like the solution, but she had always known, deep down, that it hadn't been, no one deserved that.

No one would ever know how much it hurt Clarisse to see her granddaughter struggle with the challenges she had had to face over the past month (even though some of them were Mia induced) but now, thankfully, it was all over and Mia would be crowned Queen in a week...

"Clarisse?" she heard from beside her, seemingly far away, and she realized that she hadn't responded verbally to his question.

"Yes, I am relieved she's not married- no one should have to go through an arranged marriage and it's consequences," she said quietly with a tinge of bitterness in her voice and while Joseph wanted to point out that there had been some happy consequences from her marriage to Rupert- the boys, Mia and him- he also didn't want to ruin the moment, so he allowed the atmosphere to grow quiet again, although there was a frisson of tension in it, before he cautiously slid over and wrapped an arm around her and, after a moment of surprise, she relaxed into him.

"There's so much we need to talk about," she began softly, well aware he didn't agree with all that she had just said about arranged marriages, but he stopped her from continuing that sentence by tenderly nuzzling her neck, eliciting tiny goosebumps on her skin as he did so.

"We do, but not tonight... tonight is our special night."

"Our wedding night," she said softly, again feeling as nervous as the young nineteen year old girl she had been many years ago, but this night was going to be different- not only was she older, she also knew that tonight would be infinitely more special, more tender, more loving and definitely more passionate with Joseph than anything she had experienced with Rupert, and it both terrified and excited her at the same time at the thought of making love to Joseph, but she knew her husband... her husband, she couldn't believe it... would be patient with her.

"OUR wedding night," he repeated and, at the awestruck tone in his voice, she turned to beam radiantly at him- he was feeling just the same as she, both nervous and excited- before he leant forward and kissed her, a little timidly at first- this was their first real kiss in private (although they had willingly complied to Andrew's request when they were in the garden and the pictures would remain private) and Joseph didn't want to push her too fast, but when he felt her relax into his embrace and wrap her arms around his neck, he knew she was encouraging him to continue.

"Wow," she murmured almost dazedly when he finally broke the kiss and pulled away slightly. "That was certainly a kiss..." she wanted to say more but she was feeling far too dazed and, even more disconcertingly, aroused to express how she was really feeling.

"Our first real kiss since the Archbishop declared us husband and wife," he said as he set both of their glasses back on the table and, much to her surprise, stood up and held out a hand to her.

"What?" she looked puzzled, feeling a little twinge of panic- surely he wasn't going to lead her into the bedroom just yet... she wanted it to happen, but she didn't think she was ready yet.

"Dance with me," he said simply- he could see the panic in her eyes and he wanted to reassure her that they wouldn't go anywhere she didn't want to go until she was ready- he had waited so long to be with her, he wanted her to be the one that decided when she was ready.

"Here? Now? There's no music!" she tried to sound reasonable but she was so nervous about tonight- she didn't want to disappoint him, but she was so inexperienced in terms of seduction and passion, she knew that he would be.

"It's only the two of us, no one else will see and I have already locked the doors," he reassured her and Clarisse considered it for a moment longer before she smiled and silently reached out for his hand- dancing was one of the first things they had really bonded over and it was also a means of relaxation for them. Joseph was a natural dancer and he brought the best out in her, although he argued that she too was a naturally graceful dancer and they complemented each other.

Sure enough, after only a few minutes of gently swaying on the carpet, his arms around her and her head resting against his shoulders, all her nerves had disappeared- this was Joseph, she was dancing with, the love of her life- and this time, when he moved to kiss her, she was the one who initiated it and the kiss was more passionate and slightly more electrical than their previous kisses, perhaps because they both knew there were no boundaries that prevented them from moving forward.

As he felt her hands move shyly towards his shirt, her delicate fingers fiddling with the top button, he felt the need to pull away again just to make sure that he wasn't imagining her sudden surge of confidence.

"Are you sure?" he asked, suddenly nervous himself, and she smiled at him almost seductively, looking far more like the Clarisse he fell in love with, only sexier, than the mask she wore around the rest of the world.

"Yes...I love you," she said softly but proudly, gazing at him with a look of tenderness and he suddenly felt his eyes turn damp as he realized she was finally opening up her heart to him- the wedding had finally allowed some of her walls to crumble around her, she was finally letting him see the real Clarisse...He had seen glimmers over the years, but now she was baring herself to him completely.

"I love you too," he said in an almost choked up voice, a trembling hand reaching out and touching her soft cheek and she smiled- he was such a dear gentleman, so gentle and tender with her, even when she was in the worst of moods, and she knew that he understood her better than anyone she knew. They were meant to be together, and she was pleased that they were- now her life could really begin again- before she felt herself being pulled into his strong arms again and he was kissing her passionately, so passionately that she felt her heart speed up at the intensity of it.

"Shall we?" he murmured into her ear and she nodded, knowing what he meant before he took her hand and led her slowly into the bedroom, pausing only when Clarisse stopped on the threshold, suddenly frozen- now reality was sinking in. They were going to share a bed that night, and while she had always dreamed of that happening, hoping that it would, the sudden awareness took her slightly by surprise.

"I... I..."

"It's alright, my love," he said understandingly, standing beside her and stroking her arm soothingly. "We have all the time in the world... whenever you're ready, I'll be ready... actually, I should blow out those candles..." and he hurried outside to blow out the candles and switch off the lamps.

When he returned, Clarisse was still standing in the doorway and when he cautiously touched her, she turned to him, her eyes shimmering with tears.

"I'm sorry... I...It's been so long..."

"It's alright," he said, immediately wrapping her into his arms. "I understand completely... we only need to do baby steps..." he paused to tilt her chin up so that she was looking in his eyes. "I love you, Clarisse, and I will do whatever it takes to make you feel comfortable with me here..."

"I shouldn't be nervous..." she whimpered, ashamed of the tidal wave of emotions she was feeling- she was here with the man she loved, about to do what they had always wanted to do, and yet she was scared and nervous about everything, even him. It was beginning to make her feel like she had more than one personality, and she was certain that it was annoying Joseph as well.

"It's just that I... I'm so inexperienced... I've only been with one other man in my life..."

"It's perfectly natural," he said calmly, now intent on making her feel relaxed. "It's our wedding night and I'm a little nervous too..." he admitted and she looked at him, startled. "What if... you're a Queen, I'm only your Head of Security...we're from two different worlds..."

"Oh Joseph..." she said softly before shyly, timidly, she leaned over and kissed him, a kiss that while was initially timid, instantly turned into something more, something more passionate and electric and all their combined feelings of nervousness, fear and inadequacy disappeared in the blink of an eye as they both realized they were where they wanted to be and nothing could stop them now...

Her hands almost fiercely unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it aside before they returned to run down his smooth, muscular chest, goosebumps appearing from her touch, while he gently removed her jacket before she pulled away from the kiss, which had seemed to last forever, and stepped back, her hands reaching behind her and unzipped her dress before allowing it to slip to the floor, revealing the cream coloured lace slip she was wearing underneath, the slip not hiding her still wonderful figure and revealing her long, graceful legs.

She was almost like a rose, the clothes merely embellishing the beauty that was underneath...

"Oh my darling..." he murmured, almost taken aback at how beautiful she was and how she was his, before she walked back towards him, a sexy smile on her face- he was so sexy clad only in his black trousers and his expression so dumbfounded, although his eyes said something more- and he couldn't help but pull her into his arms again and kiss her, not only on her lips but on her cheeks, neck, shoulders as she did the same with him...

"You are so beautiful," he managed to murmur between kisses, her only response being the quickening of her breath and the soft moans that were emerging from her throat,- she had never felt like this before, but she knew that she never wanted to feel this way with anyone but Joseph- before he suddenly scooped her up into his arms, her slip having slipped off during his passionate kisses on her shoulders and neck .

"Joseph... your knees..." she whispered almost dazedly- she was so carried away by her feelings and the way he was touching her, she almost didn't think about it but she still remembered- but he only smiled as he gently deposited her on the bed (after tossing her nightgown and his pyjamas out of the way) and lay down beside her after ridding himself of his pants.

"They're fine...and we're fine," he reassured her before he ran a hand down her body, his eyes drinking in every feature of her- age had only enhanced her looks and motherhood hadn't hindered her figure much at all- and she blushed shyly at the intense look in his eye while shivering at the way his hands were touching her.

"You are beautiful, Clarisse, didn't you realize that?" he looked back up into her eyes and she shrugged before looking away- Rupert had never said anything like that to her, so hearing Joseph say it didn't seem real to her.

"Hey, don't look away," he added, guiding her face back so that she was looking at him. "You ARE so lovely, Clarisse, I wish you had been told that more often."

"It's not appropriate," she shrugged as she caressed his chest, her eyes focused on that and while he wanted to discuss the issue, he knew that now wasn't the time.

"Anyway," she sat up on her elbows to smile at him. "I thought you were supposed to be kissing me... I am your wife, you know," she reminded him with a teasing smile and he laughed.

"As if I could forget..." before she pulled him down with her, his lips covering hers again and they both forgot about everything except each other and the new world that they were now inhabiting together...


	2. Mia's Suggestion

_A/N: Merry Christmas to all my readers and reviewers! I'm sorry I didn't get up another chapter sooner but have been flat out with work! Here I am now, though!_

_Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- hope u keep reading and reviewing! You all rock!_

_The PD don't belong to me!_

_0_

"_Have you been thinking about us?"_

"_Yes I have..."_

"_With this ring, I thee... finally... wed."_

_"I now pronounce you man and wife... you may kiss the bride."_

_0_

For an instant after he opened his eyes, the images he had been dreaming about still swirling in his mind- the compassionate yet sad expression on her face that fateful evening now three days earlier; and then the moment when he had slipped the plain gold band on her finger, their eyes meeting and her expression so radiant and happy- as the sunlight filtered in through a crack in the closed curtains, Joseph felt mildly disoriented- where was he- and wondered whether he had dreamt the previous day's events (had he REALLY married Clarisse?) before two realizations struck him.

Firstly, as he looked around, he discovered that his surroundings were completely different to the surroundings he usually woke up in- the room was infinitely larger and full of light, the bed clearly more than a double bed, the sheets made of the softest silk, the furniture, from what he could see of it, was more elegant as were the pictures on the cream coloured walls.

The second realization came seconds later when he realized that he wasn't alone- there was a warm, soft body pressed up against his and when he looked down, he could see Clarisse's head resing on his chest, her eyes closed and her breathing deep and even- she clearly was still asleep- but he didn't mind. In fact, he was pleased- it gave him a chance to watch her as she slept, unaware that she was being watched, memorize her features and enjoy the relaxation and unguardedness that came with sleep.

She had always been on her guard when awake, but it hadn't been her fault- after her years on the throne, being married to Rupert and constantly being on public display, it was inevitable that she had built up a high wall around herself and her real personality, and while he (along with Charlotte and Mia) had seen more of herself than anyone else, he was looking forward to seeing her relax more often and allowing those closest to her to see more of her 'real' self.

Emboldened by thoughts of what could happen for them in the future- he was now retired and she would soon no longer officially be Queen in a week (although she would still have her royal duties as Dowager Queen and Mia's advisor) so they could do what they wanted, within reason- he shifted slightly, although careful not to disturb his sleeping beauty and then slowly, almost timidly, reached down to stroke her soft hair, still a little disbelieving at recent events... and that he was actually ALLOWED to touch her, and not in an innocent, protective yet formal and distant manner but, rather, intimately, lovingly, possessively, in ways that he had never dreamed of touching (or had dreamed of but had never dared to hope), a thought that made him nervous- he had been quite a ladies man in the past, but this was different, SHE was different, special- she was the love of his life, the most important person in his life and he didn't want to mess up what they shared... he didn't want to push her... and he couldn't even imagine how Clarisse was feeling...

Clarisse, in fact, was awake- she had been awake for quite a while already, waking up to discover that she had been resting on his chest, but she hadn't moved yet as she was too comfortable where she was, revelling in having a warm body beside her, as well as listening to his steady heartbeat and thinking about everything that had happened in the past day and night...

She and Joseph were married now, and they had made love for the first time late last night- she had been so frightened and so nervous beforehand- what if she disappointed him, what if she was too inexperienced- but then... it had been so wonderful, so passionate and so loving and she had been so overwhelmed with her emotions- the overriding one being happiness- that she had cried quietly into his chest afterwards, when she had been certain he had fallen asleep, unable to believe what had happened and that she was now free (or almost, a week would fly by in moments) to be Clarisse, a woman and, now, a wife, rather than Her Majesty, an institution and someone to be feared.

She had almost jumped out of her skin when she felt his hand slowly and almost shyly begin to stroke her hair, but she relaxed- she knew who it was and she wanted him to do that- and lay there for a little while, enjoying the sensation of being touched in a way that she hadn't been touched in a long, long time, if ever- Rupert had never stayed long afterwards and their gestures of affection were basically handkissing or the occasional kiss on the cheek, so this was very nice.

She was well aware that she should probably open her eyes, let him know she was awake, but somehow she didn't want to... it was strange, but she was feeling a little shy and awkward around him but didn't know why- after last night, there was a bond between them that had existed almost from the moment they had met, they both knew it and had felt it at times, but last night had strengthened the bond and it was now permanent, deeper and unbreakable, and while it excited her to know that she was finally going to be close to someone, be their only someone, it also terrified her- things were so different now...

They continued to lie there for a time, both absorbed in their own thoughts and well aware of the presence of the other, before Clarisse realized that it was getting later and later in the morning and she not only had to finally face her new husband (in a good way, she wasn't quite sure how she was feeling or how he would be feeling), but she also had to get up, breakfast, dress and head towards her study to do some work, although she really didn't feel like it- she was a newlywed, after all- but the coronation was only a week away... and she wanted to spend some time with Mia, she had barely had a chance to last night...

"Penny for your thoughts?" she heard from above her and, after she realized he had stopped stroking her hair- she looked up to see him watching her with a warm smile but with cautious eyes- he was letting her find her rhythm.

"It's nothing... how did you know I was awake?" she asked, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Just a guess," he teased, not wanting to tell her that he had suspected she had been awake from the moment he had looked down at her, just like he wouldn't tell her that he had felt her tears last night when she had thought he had been asleep.

"Good morning," he added gently as she slowly sat up, pulling the sheet up with her, keeping it tightly wrapped across her chest, feeling embarrassed as he watched her, finding her modesty sweet and innocent- he had seen all of her the night before, but she didn't want him to see her in daylight hours- Rupert hadn't wanted to so she assumed that he wouldn't either.

"Good morning," she said shyly, a blush forming on her cheeks as he leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips, keeping it brief.

"How are you feeling this morning?" he inquired- he could see she was feeling uncomfortable and slightly overwhelmed around her and he wanted her to feel relaxed around him, as she always had been before they were married. The only difference between what they had shared before and now was that they were married.

"I'm fine," she replied quietly- it was strange having someone in her bed again, even if it was Joseph- before she finally met his eyes. "How are you?"

"Happier than I thought I would ever be," he said honestly, not wanting to scare her but he couldn't help it- he was very, very happy- smiling tenderly at her and she blushed again before she looked around for her nightgown which, she discovered, was lying on the floor, cast aside last night when Joseph had set her down on the bed.

"So, what are the plans for today?" he inquired as she slipped out of bed, still twisted up in the sheet and, after retrieving her nightgown, quickly slipped it on before reaching her robe, hanging over a chair (again courtesy of her maids) and wrapped it around herself.

"I don't know," she looked vague, suddenly feeling torn between her ever present, often burdensome duty to her country and her duty to Joseph and herself. "I know there are a few last minute details for the coronation that I need to finalize and my usual paperwork... and, I want to see Mia..."

She was suddenly feeling unusually overwhelmed again- she had never been overwhelmed before, having usually been able to handle anything that was thrown at her, but this time... there was so much to do in the lead up to the coronation, paperwork to complete and meetings to attend, but all she really wanted to do was spend much of her time with her granddaughter and her husband...

She was looking forward to having a honeymoon with Joseph (yet the thought made her a little nervous as well) but she knew that it would have to wait until after the coronation and Mia was settled on the throne...

"Why don't we have a cup of tea and breakfast first?" he advised wisely, seeing her confusion and panic as he too climbed out of bed and reached for his pyjama bottoms. "I know the next week has thepotential to be chaotic- you have so much to do..."

"As do you... I assume that Scott will want your assistance in the lead up to the coronation, if not afterwards," she teased gently and he rolled his eyes- she was right, he probably would.

"Mmmm... anyway, breakfast is the most important meal of the day," he reminded her as they walked towards the door, his arm slipping around her satin covered waist and she laughed out loud, a rich, happy laugh that wamed his heard and made him feel easier- she was finally relaxing, although he could see that she was still feeling a little awkward around him, but he was confident that that would change...

"True, my grandmother always told me that... and then what?" she looked at him expectantly as he strolled over to unlock the doors- he could imagine that the maids would be waiting to bring in their breakfast (and see them for themselves).

"And then... you visit Mia, I'll visit Scott and, hopefully, we'll meet up for lunch?" he suggested.

"Maybe I'll cut my day short..." she said with a coy yet shy smile and he grinned as her maids entred with their breakfast tray and he walked over to hold out her chair for her, squeezing her shoulder gently as she sat down.

"That sounds perfect to me!"

0

After a long breakfast and getting dressed (Joseph joking that he would have to move the rest of his 'meagre' belongings in when he had the chance, and while she had said nothing and had blushed, he could see, judging by the joyful expression on her face, that she was pleased about him moving in), they went in their separate directions when they stepped out of the suite- Clarisse further down the hallway to Mia's suite and Joseph downstairs to the security room- although Joseph kissed her hand tenderly before they did, eliciting yet another blush from his wife, much to her disgust- she really had to get used to this!

Clarisse had assumed that Mia and Lily would be spending time with Helen and Patrick when she stepped into her suite, but she was mildly surprised when she discovered that Mia was alone, and sitting at her desk, poring over papers. Her study downstairs was not quite ready yet (thanks again to Rupert's cousin) but she didn't mind doing her small tasks in her suite- " that means that I can have a break in comfort, and rest whenever I want!"

However, she looked up with a warm smile when she heard footsteps, her expression lighting up even more when she realized who it was.

"Grandma! I didn't think I would be seeing you this morning!"

"Oh..." Clarisse blushed at her words, understanding her meaning, and looked away for a moment before meeting her granddaughter's eyes again. "Well..."

"Where's Joe?" Mia asked kindly, seeing her grandmother was slightly befuddled and not wanting to embarrass her, this was all clearly very new to her.

"Oh, he decided to visit Scott down in the security rooms... we assume that Scott will be needed his assistance in the lead up to the coronation," Clarisse said as she sat down in the chair opposite Mia and Mia sat back in her chair.

"I thought he would, only not so soon...I seriously thought that you and Joe wouldn't be seen in public for at least two or three days!" she teased, and while Clarisse blushed deeply again, she laughed as well- although the innuendo embarrassed her somewhat, she knew the young woman was thrilled for them and was only teasing them in good fun.

"Much as that idea would appeal to you and to us, there is a coronation to be planned and a country that still needs to be run...By the way, where are your guests?" she teased back and Mia laughed, more than thrilled to see her grandmother so happy and so relaxed.

The last couple of days had been a nightmare for all of them, and while Mia had been more than a little nervous and worried about marrying someone she didn't love for the sake of the country, she couldn't help but notice her grandmother's unhappiness (although she tried to hide it, for the most part successfully) and the fact that Joseph, who was usually nearby wherever her grandmother went, was nowhere near him.

She had suspected that there was something of a relationship between them (a fact that had been confirmed by the previous day's wedding as well as a few well placed questions to Charlotte and hearing the gossip from the maids) and she was so happy that they had finally taken a chance and married.

"Very true, Grandma... my guests are outside in the gardens- Lily took it upon herself to take them on a tour of the palace...but haven't you and Joe discussed going on a honeymoon?"

"Honeymoon?" she looked taken aback- she had thought about it briefly upstairs, but now that reality had set in, she knew that it wasn't at all possible..

"Yes, Grandma, a honeymoon- you know, a trip that the bride and groom take after the wedding," Mia looked at her knowingly. "You do have a few days off between now and the coronation."

"I couldn't possibly take a few days off," Clarisse sputtered indignantly. "There is still so much to be done here..."

"Not really, Grandma," Mia looked calmly. "I actually have been through the coronation plans with Charlotte this morning and she assures me that everything is under control, and I have meetings with the Archbishop and Prime Minister Motaz tomorrow."

"But there..." Clarisse protested again, stunned at how efficient her granddaughter was but secretly pleased that the girl had taken the iniative and organized things for herself- it again proved that she had the makings of a wonderful Queen.

"Grandma," Mia looked at her firmly. "The paperwork isn't going to go anywhere, and I've already started reading some of what was on your desk..." she waved at the pile in front of her. "Cheeky, I know, invading your desk like that, but I felt that you and Joe should have some time together without the complications of me or Genovia."

"I couldn't leave..." Clarisse tried again, but both women were aware that her responses were now becoming more half hearted- Clarisse honestly, deep down didn't want to be working the day after her wedding, and Mia didn't want her grandmother to miss out on the happiness she had waited almost a lifetime for and had almost lost.

"You're not going to leave the country, for heaven's sake, you're just going to take a well deserved honeymoon with your husband...You do have a duty to the country, but you have done that duty for a long, long time without a break and, personally, I think everyone who cares about you wants you and Joseph to have some well deserved time to yourselves- I know you do, especially after the month we've had... don't you think you need a break from all of this?" she cocked her head to the side, looking expectantly at Clarisse who, for once, was at a loss for words.

Yes, she did have a duty to Genovia, that had always been drummed into her and it would be hard for her to let go of that duty, even when Mia became Queen, but now things had changed, she had a husband to include in her plans and a life with him would be far happier and far less taxing than the life she had led since she was nineteen and had married the Crown Prince of Genovia.

But she WAS also sick of everything she had to do for the country, even throw away the chance of a personal life of her own, and she DID want some time to herself, with Joseph of course... the coronation was a week away, but there was a window of opportunity that she and Joseph could use for themselves...

"Well..." she hesitated as she realized that Mia was watching her, waiting for her reaction. "I suppose... we could have a couple of days break from the palace, I really would love to get away from here for a while," she admitted and Mia grinned. "But... where would we go?" It had only been a germ of an idea only minutes ago, but now it was actually going to happen... if Joseph agreed to it, of course.

"Trust me, Grandma, there are plenty of places you could go- you could go to the beach house... or the Winter Palace..."

"The beach house sounds like fun," Clarisse said with a smile- Phillipe had had bought that house years ago but it had rarely been used in the years since his death, although they had visited there when Andrew and his family had arrived for the engagement announcement but for their honeymoon... it sounded perfect...

"But... we'd have to organize security..."

"Aren't you married to the best guy in the business?"Mia looked at her knowingly and Clarisse had to laugh and nod- she WAS married to the best man in the business and she knew that he would be happy to look after her.

"Yes, I am... but what if he doesn't want to go?" she looked slightly worried and Mia chuckled.

"Joe? Not wanting to go on honeymoon with you? Not wanting to be alone with you? Come on, Grandma, surely you're not that naïve?" she teased and Clarissed laughed- Mia had a point... Joseph would love to go away with her, if only for a few days, and the more alone they were, the better...

"Alright, you have a point... but are you sure you would be alright without us here?" she looked at her in concern and Mia grinned.

"I'll be fine... I'll have Lily for another month or so, and Charlotte is always ready to lend a hand...if I do burn the palace down, I'll have to call you back but..." she paused before giggling when she saw the look of horror on her grandmother's face.

"Seriously, Grandma, I will be fine," she leaned over and rested a hand on top of her grandmother's- the left hand looked oddly bereft without the large diamond that had been given to her by her first husband, Mia's grandfather, but she had to admit that the plain gold wedding ring suited her elegant, manicured hand just as well as the other ring.

"You and Joe have done so much for me in the past month... in the past five years, in fact, and I know I wouldn't have been able to do it without you... and you both deserve to have some time to yourselves, you owe that to each other," she said sincerely, and Clarisse was so moved at her words that she stood up and walked around the desk to pull her granddaughter up and wrap her arms around her, hugging her close to her.

"Thank you, darling girl," she whispered fiercely into her ear, close to tears, before she pulled away and, with a deep breath, collected herself again.

"So," Mia added with a twinkle in her eye as she decided to make a joke- the atmosphere was far too serious on a day after a wedding and she could tell her grandmother was a little embarrassed at her display of emotion, although she welcomed it.

"There is nothing that needs doing here involving you, I'm going to go and find Lily and others anyway...so I would suggest that you go and find your husband and announce that you are going away this afternoon... or go and pack!This is your granddaughter AND your future Queen talking!"she added as Clarisse opened her mouth to protest, and the older woman only smiled lovingly at her granddaughter- she was so much like Phillipe, and she loved her dearly- before she turned and walked out of the room, now keen to find her husband...


	3. Shades's Suggestion

_A/N: just a short chapter to fill the story in a little bit... now here comes the fun part!_

_Thanks to all my readers and reviewers!_

_The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!_

After Joe had walked away from Clarisse outside her (or rather their) suite, he strode quickly down the hallway and down the stairs, keen to see his former colleagues. He hadn't had a chance to speak to them or Scott since Clarisse's proposal, and while he knew he hadn't been fair to suddenly leave Scott in the lurch with a very sudden promotion to Head of Security, he was also confident that he and the rest of the team (even Lionel, who was only temporary) would do well AND that Scott would make an excellent HOS.

When he stepped into the security room, most of the men were crowded in, obviously in the middle of or the end of a meeting but they all turned when they saw him and burst into applause much to his mixed emotions of embarrassment and pleasure- he had been a little worried about their reactions but, judging by their applause, he needn't have been concerned about them.

"Congratulations Joe!" came from many different voices before they stood almost as one and converged on him, offering their best wishes verbally and through handshakes, a clear indicator that they were genuinely pleased for their former boss.

"How does it feel to be a married man now?" one of the younger men joked once the hubbub had died down. "Ready for your ball and chain to be attached" he added teasingly- they all knew he had waited a very long time for Clarisse and had been in love with her for so long, and they were all thrilled that his dream had come true and he was married to the love of his life.

"Not quite," he admitted ruefully, slightly embarrassed by the attention but pleased that they were happy for him- they were not only his former colleagues (or ''underlings'' Scott- aka Shades- often joked) but his friends- aside from the Queen... Clarisse, he corrected mentally...they had been the people he had spent the most time with, and while they had given him a lot of cheek (and often trouble, particularly Lionel) over the years, they liked and respected him and he trusted them.

"It won't be long until you start thinking of your wife as that!" another joked and Joseph only continued smiling (although he would never consider Clarisse his 'ball and chain') before Shades decided to break up the meeting.

"Alright guys, the meeting's over obviously, you all know what needs to be done this week so let's get to it!" he said briskly and most of the group left the room, some of them clapping Joseph on the back as they passed and soon it was only Scott and Joe standing opposite each other, Lionel and two other men huddled around the surveilancescreens in the corner of the room.

"So," Scott began with a grin. "I believe congratulations are in order."

"Thank you... and I believe that I owe you an apology."

"What for?" Scott looked confused.

"Well... I didn't exactly give you much notice yesterday, did I?"

"It doesn't matter, you had been grooming me for your job for years so I was prepared for any occasiona, although not necessarily a change of the bride and groom!" he grinned impishly at his former boss.

"Besides, when the Queen of Genovia asks you to marry her, there is no alternative but to accept her!" he added jokingly before suddenly turning serious.

"Seriously, though, you don't owe me an apology for anything, it was a pleasure and an honour serving with you, Joe, and I hope I can do just as good a job as you did as Head of Security. Yesterday was rather unexpected- you retiring and then marrying Her Majesty- but, in the end, it worked out- the wedding and reception went well, Viscount Mabrey was forcibly rejected from the church and kept out, there were no disasters involving members of parliament and alcohol and, most importantly, we're pleased that you and Her Majesty finally took the plunge- this day has been a long time coming!"

Indeed it has," Joseph agreed vaguely, looking thoughtful and feeling slightly foolish- he had never suspected that their relationship hadn't been as deep in the shadows as he had thought and it had been observed for a long time, not only by the Archbishop, certain members of parliament and now, he had discovered, his own security team had known, although it was inevitable- they were all friends and Scott was his closest confidant (although Clarisse was, and always had been, his best friend, even when they were falling in love) about the relationship and he knew he would never have said a word, and the maids usually ''know everything'', but still... so much for discretion- he only hoped that Clarisse never found out how many people had known about them before yesterday.

While he tried to keep his expression thoughtful, his thoughts obviously must have been showing on his face because he suddenly heard Scott speaking again:

"Seriously mate, none of us have told a soul," he said seriously and Joseph looked momentarily startled before giving him a grateful look. "We wouldn't have wanted to stir up your wrath or lose our jobs!"

"I do appreciate that, it's just that..." he paused, sneaking a furtive, embarrassed look over in the corner where Lionel and the two other men were huddled around the television screens, quietly making comments about the staff members they saw in the screen- something he didn't want to know about, as long as they didn't make any comments about Clarisse or Mia- but they weren't at all interested in what Scott and Joe were talking about.

"It's just that... I didn't realize how many people knew about us," he sighed as he sank into a chair at the table- Clarisse was Mia and he wanted them to have some time to themselves- and Shades did the same. "I thought we were being discreet!"

"You were, you were... but you know that this place is a grapevine- one sniff of gossip and it's all around the palace- however, in your case, it never went beyond the palace walls."

"Out of fear of my wrath?" Joseph queried ironically.

"That, but also that everyone here respects both of you and knew that they couldn't say anything... but we all saw that there was something between the two of you a long time ago, and when you tried to hide it, it was even more obvious."

"In what ways?" he wasn't angry, he was curious.

"Well... Her Majesty was more difficult to read than you- she did keep her feeling fairly well locked down, but it was always her facial expressions that changed for the better when you were around- her face always lit up whenever you came into the room and her eyes used to follow you when you left the room, even when she was involved in a meeting, just like your eyes used to follow her..."

"I WAS her personal bodyguard and I was meant to watch her, remember?"

"True... but some of us could see that she cared about you more than a Queen should for her head of security... and when she smiled at you, it was almost as if you were the only man in the room she could see... but it was only occasionally when we could see that as she kept her feelings to herself."

"What about me, then? If Her Majesty was so difficult to read, I must have been an open book or something," he grumbled.

"Not really, you were just as bad, but there were little hints... the way YOU looked at her, the way your face softened... the way you were always so protective of and around her, getting her out of situations like drunken parliamentarians very quickly... and then was when you danced together... it was obvious you were a perfect fit both on and off the dance floor... I always knew that, but someone else pointed it out to me yesterda and it's true... "

There was a small silence between them after Scott's words, the atmosphere between them slightly subdued before Scott, slightly afraid he had offended or angered his old boss, decided to change the subject to something happier.

"So... where are you and Her... your wife planning on going for your honeymoon?"

Calling Clarisse his wife rather than Her Majesty seemed strange to Scott, the words slipping awkwardly off his tongue- she would still be Her Majesty to him even when Amelia became Queen and her grandmother simply became her advisor and Joseph's wife with a private life of her own- but he sensed that Joseph was proud that she was his wife and it would make him happier.

"I don't know," he frowned- he had fleetingly thought about a brief honeymoon away from the palace before the coronation but he had instantly dismissed the idea until afterwards- Clarisse had far too much to do in the lead up to the event, especially spending some rare quality time with Mia- and he didn't mind waiting until after that, as he then said to Scott.

"No, you definitely can't do that!" Scott protested, looking insulted on behalf of his friend.

"Clarisse is still reigning monarch," Joe reminded him. "She has a lot to do in the next week and I can wait until afterwards."

"Nevertheless, you two do deserve some time away NOW, even for a few days..."

"I don't know," he hesitated, but he had to admit the idea was appealing- he and Clarisse DID deserve some time alone- the last month hadn't been the greatest in their relationship and there was some issues they needed to talk about, although not necessarily on their honeymoon.

"Everything is under control- I spoke to Charlotte this morning and she told me that she and the Princess are handling everything between them and that the Prime Minister will be helping out during the week... I think that the next few days would be the perfect time for you to have a brief break- you can certainly have a longer one later if you wish."

"What about you guys?"

"We'll be fine... all you need to do is pack and decide where to go... there are two options, and from a security position, the Winter Palace would be the way to go, it's fully protected and is fairly spacious yet it's too formal... personally, I would suggest you go to the beach house at Mertz- it's beautiful weather at the moment, which would be perfect weather to go to the beach, the house is somewhat more isolated than the Winter Palace but closer to Pyrus and the house is fully stocked..."

"Trust you to think about food before anything else!"

"...And I can have a team ready to go as soon as you make some decisions," Shades continued calmly, ignoring Joseph's joke. "Everything will be fine around here for a couple of days, Joe and you do deserve some time off, especially with your wife... so, what do you say?"

Joseph considered his suggestion for a moment- the past month had been a strain with not only Mia's arranged wedding, parliament causing troubles by invoking an ancient law, Viscount Mabrey trying to wrest away the throne not to mention their relationship troubles, culminating in him and Clarisse almost 'breaking up' (although he suspected that their separation would have only been temporary- he wouldn't have been able to leave Clarisse and Clarisse wouldn't have been able to let him go), and the thought of leaving the palace and the formalities for only a couple of days sounded very good to him.

He also suspected that Clarisse was feeling a little shy and awkward around him and would inevitably need some time to adjust to him and their new life (so would he, but he had been dreaming about this for a long time) and this would be the perfect opportunity for them to go away and get to know each other as husband and wife, relaxing with each other and adjusting to their new roles and responsibilities.

"You know I'm right," Scott teased after a few moment and Joseph grinned as he stood up, the decision made- yes, they would go away for a couple of days and the beach house sounded like a good place to go, if only for a few days... when they had more time, a longer honeymoon would be in order, but these few days would be a gift... "You know that...Do you want to go away for a couple of days?"

"I do..." he said softly, almost too afraid to admit it but he did- marrying Clarisse had been the happiest day of his life and now he wanted to start off their new life together well.

"Do you think Clarisse would want to go?"

"I think so, she would be crazy not to want to get away from the palace for a couple of days... so, what are you going to do now?" Shades teased.

"I think I'm going to go and find my wife and ask if she wants to go away for a couple of days...and I 'll let you know as soon as possible when we want to go..." before he strode towards the door, waving vaguely towards Lionel and the others, determined to find his wife... a honeymoon away from the palace, if only for a few days, sounded good to him...


	4. Getting Away

_A/N: another chapter up so soon... that hasn't happened for a while! Oh well, this one is rolling on quite well, so I'll focus on that for now while working on the other story!_

_Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you all rock!_

_The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!_

As it turned out, they met up back at Clarisse's... their suite- Clarisse was just stepping thrugh the cream coloured double doors the two guards were holding out for her when Joseph caught up with her and followed her into the room, the doors closing behind him. Clarise gave a start when she turned and saw him before she relaxed and smiled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he apologized as he sat down on the sofa, now feeling a little uncomfortable and he didn't know why- he had been in the living room of her suite many times, mostly when they had wanted to spend some time together alone, but this time was different- he was actually going to live there with her, hopefully spending many, many nights on the sofa together and he suddenly felt not only awkward but nervous...

He didn't want to push her into this, not at all- she had been alone in her suite for so long, Rupert usually never spending the night, maybe she had grown used to her independence before he realized he was getting paranoid... maybe this brief trip would be good for both of them...

"How's Mia?" he inquired as she sank down next to him and kicked off her shoes- she could sense he was feeling a little uncomfortable and she was determined to make him feel better. "I imagine she's feeling quite relieved that she's not married this morning!"

He was secretly relieved that she wasn't married to Andrew Jacoby- the 21 year old was far too spirited for Andrew, although he was a nice boy, but Mia didn't deserve an arranged marriage just as grandmother hadn't.

"Were Lily, Helen and Patrick with her?"

"No, they were out wandering around in the gardens but she seemed happy to do paperwork... in fact, she invaded my desk for my paperwork!" she said proudly and Joseph knew that she was being sincere and he was pleased that she loved Mia and loved being a grandmother.

She had initially been afraid of her granddaughter when they first caught up in San Francisco five years earlier, especially as she looked like and acted so much like Phillipe, but now they were as close as any grandmother and granddaughter and he enjoyed seeing their interactions and the way their relationship had grown and deepened.

"She was working?" he sounded surprised but not entirely.

"Yes, she was going through everything!" she laughed ruefully, still aware of the air of awkwardness between them and hoping that Mia's suggestion would help- going on a brief honeymoon would possibly solidify their relationship and marriage, not that it needed solidifying too much, they were already rock solid in their love for each other.

"Yes, she was apparently up bright and early to read these papers and she and Charlotte had already gone through all the necessary details for the coronation AND she is meeting with James and Sebastian tomorrow. She informed me that she and Charlotte had everything under control."

"So, what's left for you to do?" he was impressed at the girl's iniative and pleased that she had instantly leapt into her future role and it's various responsibilities- he had always known Mia would be wonderful in the role (probably just as great as her grandmother) and the fact that she hadn't shirked from a possible arranged marriage for the sake of her country had only made him love her more.

"Not much," Clarisse responded to his question with a rueful smile. "I'm not used to being at a loose end... but then Mia DID have a suggestion for something I...we... could do."

"Oh?" Joseph looked intrigued but suddenly feeling slightly suspicious- Shades too had been speaking to Charlotte... what if they and Mia had been talking...

"Well, I had been thinking earlier about us taking a short honeymoon for the next couple of days, just to get away from the palace... but I thought that it wouldn't be possible, considering that the coronation is next week but then Mia suggested it again when I saw her before... in fact, she insisted on us going away!" she said with a chuckle and he joined in, but while she eventually stopped, she was surprised to see him continue laughing, looking amused. "What's so funny?"

"Well, I went and saw the boys, just to make sure everything was okay..."

"You're always so conscientious," she teased gently but it was in fact something that she enjoyed about him.

"True...anyway, all was well, and Shades happened to suggest that we go away for a few days... you know, I think this just confirms my suspicion that Charlotte, Shades and Mia have been talking and planning our trip on our behalf!"

"Obviously they have," Clarisse chuckled again softly- at other times, she would be annoyed that she and her private life were being discussed (even amongst the closest people in their lives) but today, she didn't care at all...

Life was good again- she was about to step down from the throne, leaving it in the very capable hands of her only granddaughter (although she would remain around as an advisor for her) and, best of all, she was married to the love of her life, the only man (aside from her boys) that she had really truly loved and trusted and, for once, she didn't care about being gossiped about, she was that happy.

"So... where did Scott suggest we go for a few days?" she continued after a moment and Joseph was relieved that she wasn't annoyed about them being a topic of discussion, although he suspected they had been since the previous night and not only in the palace, and would be for quite some time.

"The beach house," he said simply and it was his turn to be surprised when she giggled almost girlishly and inquire. "What's so funny?"

"That's were Mia suggested too! The three of them definitely HAVE been talking!" and they laughed together for a moment before, after they calmed down, Joe looked at her expectantly, hopefully.

"So, shall we do what they suggested? It's obvious they want us to go away, for selfish or unselfish motives, I don't know, but if they want us to go..."

"Yes, I think so... Mia said she would contact us if the palace burnt down but..." she looked pensive, again momentarily weighing up her options- as she had told Mia the previous day, she had always put duty to her country first but now there was Joseph to consider and, for once, her heart was overruling her head and she wanted it to... as much as she loved her country, now was a time where she had (and wanted) to put herself first and she wanted to spend her time with her brand new husband... and she appreciated him leaving the decision to her...

Joseph watched her calmly and patiently, understanding her thinking processes and the way she carefully considered everything she was told from serious matters of state to the simple matter of what she was going to wear for dinner, and he could see that she was weighing this up very carefully, her expression remaining neutral until... a broad grin spread across her face and she looked at him happily, her eyes sparkling almost mischieviously.

"Yes, let's do it, let's go away for a couple of days!" she said enthusiastically, suddenly feeling like a girl again and very much looking forward to the time away from the palace...

This honeymoon would not only help solidify their relationship (and make her feel less shy around him) but it could also be the honeymoon she had dreamt of when she was nineteen and hoping that her honeymoon would be romantic and loving.

Unfortunately, that had not meant to be but now her hopes had been revived with Joseph- their relationship, despite being in the shadows, had been more loving than she had ever dreamt or hoped for, and last night... the thought of last night made her blush again... and the thought of a second honeymoon with Joseph, alone, excited her.

"Yes, definitely," she said firmly before looking at him slightly anxiously. "Unless you..." she wanted him firmly involved in the decisions they made about their life together.

"Nothing would make me happier," he affirmed, reaching over for her hand and pressing a kiss onto the top of it. "Nothing," he repeated, watching her carefully and she blushed shyly before he pulled away to stand up and stretch.

"So, now that we've decided we're going, when did you want to go?"

"Well..." she hesitated, wanting to say 'as soon as possible so I can spend as much time with you alone as humanly possible' but not wanting to seem too eager, before she came out with:

"Definitely today... I will need to start packing..."

"You'll pack?" he raised an eyebrow and she smirked.

"Yes I can do that on occasion, it's a hidden talent... I assume you'll do your own packing?" she teased and he laughed, pleased that her spirited side was finally re-emerging.

"Yes ma'am, I will... after I see Shades about organizing a contingent of bodyguards to accompany us... I know you don't want that, I know I don't but you won't see them at all while we're there."

"I don't care," she said in a cavalier tone as she stood up and reached out to squeeze his hand. "All I care about is that you and I are alone together."

"We will be," he said gently before he walked towards the main doors while she walked towards the bedroom. "I'll see Scott and then I'll do my own packing... I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I'll be here and waiting," she said flippantly, a frisson of excitement rippling through her- hopefully, very soon, they would be going away on their honeymoon- albeit a brief one, but still a honeymoon...

0

Nearly an hour later, everything was all set as they strolled down the stairs arm in arm, their luggage already loaded into the car and the team of men accompanying them already divided into two groups- one group had already gone to scout out the beach house while the other group were waiting for them to leave- when Clarisse froze on the stairs, suddenly remembering something, much to his concern.

"What's wrong?"

"I just remembered... the press will probably will be waiting outside the gates for a picture of us... how can we leave here if they follow us?"

"Quite easy Grandma," she heard from the bottom of the stairs and they looked down to see Mia standing in the middle of the foyer, flanked by a sheepish looking Charlotte (she was obviously a little worried that Clarisse was going to be angry that she had interfered in her schedule but she also knew that the Queen and Joseph deserved some private time to celebrate their marriage), Scott and Lily.

"What do you mean?" Clarisse looked confused as she and Joseph joined them at the bottom of the steps.

"I mean, WE have the problem solved... decoys!" Mia looked smug and while Clarisse was still a little confused, Joseph was impressed by the solution.

"Decoys?"

"Yes... the press is assuming that you will either stay here or go to the airport, right, to go on the trip that Andrew and I were supposed to be going on, so we thought about it and came up with this... Lily and I will go in the royal limousine heading towards the airport, accompanied by a carload of men and that should let the press know that something is happening, and then you and Joe will sneak out of the gates in a palace car, sorry, not a limo, and head in the opposite direction."

"Do you really think it will work?" Clarisse considered the option for a moment- it seemed a little childish and an abuse of palace resources to make this work, but as she thought about that, she looked at Joseph and her heart swelled- she WANTED some time alone with Joseph and not here at the palace, there would be plenty of time being together at the palace after the coronation... but these few days between the wedding and coronation, it seemed to be a special window of time when they could hide away and remain in their bubble for a little longer...

"Joseph, do you think it will work?" she asked her husband directly and he thought about it for a moment before nodding.

"I think it will... it's not something I would recommend for the future Queen in coming years," he looked at Mia pointedly before he softened. "I was thinking about it earlier, and I think it would work..."

"Come on, Grandma!" Mia said quietly. "This is a special occasion... and I promise that I won't try this when I'm Queen," she added hastily, giving Joseph a side long glance. "We've worked it all out and it will work...please trust us!"

"Alright," Clarisse said quietly, secretly pleased that they had come up with something- if it had been up to her, considering she had only just thought about the presence of the press only moments before, she wasn't quite sure she would be able to think of anything.

"Thank you for all of this, by the way, both Joseph and I truly appreciate the efforts you have all gone to" she looked around at the group before she walked over to Charlotte- the younger woman was clearly nervous and afraid that she had done the wrong thing, but Clarisse was impressed and pleased.

"Thank you Charlotte... for everything," she said softly before, to everyone's surprise, she wrapped her arms around her private secretary and pulled her close in a hug. "And not only for the past few days... for the past couple of years," she clarified and Charlotte was smiling but blinking back tears when they finally pulled apart- she was truly very fond of the Queen and Joseph and she was so happy that they were finally together.

"We'd better get going, we're on a tight schedule!" Mia joked with a smile but Clarisse stopped her with a firm hand and embraced her as well.

"You are far too clever for your old grandma sometimes!" she whispered into her hair.

"You're not old, Grandma, and where do you think I learnt all these little tricks from?" the girl whispered back before pulling away. "Have a great time Grandma... and Joey!" she added teasingly, pulling away from Clarisse and kissing his cheek, giggling at his expression. "I know you don't like that, Joe, but today is a special day..."

"Alright, just that once," he said gruffly, touched at her words and the gesture. "Don't let it happen again!"

As they had expected, the press was lined up at the gates when they stepped out of the main doors but, luckily, they were too far away to see Mia and Lily climb into the royal limousine and Joseph and Clarisse into the second, less obtrusive car. Joseph had hoped that he would be able to drive them to Mertz but, under the circumstances, it would be easier if they were driven down.

Again, as Mia had predicted, once the limousine took off in one direction, all the cameras focused in their direction, the press who were on motorbikes or in cars immediately racing over to their vehicles and climbing in or on... but the attention was deflected away from the palace when a second palace car with tinted windows emerged and turned to the right, followed by another car, but neither Joseph nor Clarisse dared to breathe until they had gone down the road a couple of kilometres and there was no sign of anyone following behind their bodyguard's car.

It was only then that Clarisse sat back against the leather seat with a heavy, relieved sigh and looked at Joseph with a slightly shy smile.

"Well, we did it... our granddaughter is certainly a clever young woman!"

"Yes, we certainly did do it and she is..." he refrained from correcting her about Mia being their granddaughter, he was just impressed that it had happened so smoothly. "Now we have, hopefully, nothing to worry about but the weather at the beach and having a good time..." before he reached over and took her hand in his.

"But we will have a good time, won't we?" he asked in a low voice and she smiled, blushing even more deeply, embarrassed that she was simultaneously shy and excited about being alone with him and the thought of being alone with him for the next few days.

"I think so..." before they both looked out their respective windows, happy to sit in silence for some of the trip, all that mattered was that they were on their way to the beach and their honeymoon!


	5. The Beach House

_A/N: yes, another chapter of this story, certainly rolling on with this one, but 'A Royal Journey' is still around as well!_

_Thanks to all my loyal readers and reviewers!_

_The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!_

Much of the two hour trip to the beach house was spent in silence as they continued to look out their respective windows, although their hands remained entwined, and it was only when the car stopped outside the locked gates leading up to the house so that the driver could unlock the gate, when Joseph glanced over at her, unable to believe that they were actually doing this, they were actually on their honeymoon...

As if she could feel her eyes on her, Clarisse turned her face towards him and smiled radiantly- she was already starting to relax and she was very much looking forward to being alone with Joseph, albeit with a twinge of nervousness mixed in with her delight as well as a sense of bewilderment at how they had gotten to be there that morning, as well as what had happened the previous day (which she was still struggling to get her head around)... so much had happened...

She still couldn't believe what had happened- Mia's idea had been so crazy, so totally inappropriate, so out of character for the royal family (but not necessarily for the girl herself) that she had had doubts as a slight twinge of regret- before Mia's arrival a month earlier (and even years before that), Joseph had refused to entertain any ideas like that ("your safety is my top priority" he had reminded her on more than one occasion) but in this instance, it had worked perfectly and Mia's enthusiasm, iniative and ingenuity had again reminded Clarisse of her father- if given the chance, Phillipe probably would have done the same thing as she had done.

"We're here!" she said exhultantly and he grinned back at her-she was so beautiful, even more so when she was wasn't occupied by affairs of state and was more relaxed, and he felt a gush of pride knowing that she was his wife- before he couldn't resist teasing:

"Better than the palace?"

"Much better," she affirmed before the car, which had been driven through the gates while they had been looking at each other, began moving again and they both looked forward to see the beach house appearing in their view.

The two storey house, with a small cottage adjacent to it for the security team, was situated in the perfect spot- far enough away from the main road so that the press, if they ever discovered where they were, couldn't see them and a reasonable distance from the beach so that the tides wouldn't come up to the house yet still still fairly close to the sea.

Prince Phillipe had purchased the house in the wake of his divorce from Helen and had used it as a retreat- there were times when Clarisse had thought he would live there permanently- but his mother, whom he had left the house to had rarely used it, especially after his death but now... it seemed appropriate and definitely where she wanted to spend her honeymoon with Joseph.

The car stopped in front of the house, in the middle of the gravel driveway and while the driver hopped out to unload the luggage, Clarisse sat there expectantly, knowing that Joseph would leap out to open her door but when she glanced over, to her surprise he was still sitting there beside her, watching her.

"What's wrong?" she asked in concern and he looked slightly bashful and embarrassed.

"I was wondering... could I kiss you?" he asked, feeling foolish and, for a moment, Clarisse was sad- since when did he have to ask permission to kiss her, she had never wanted him to do that- before she realized that he was probably feeling just as uncomfortable as herself and she definitely hadn't een exactly warm and inviting since they had gotten up that morning.

"It's not that I'm embarrassed or uncomfortable," Joseph added hastily, seeing the mildly sad expression in her eyes. "It's just that... I haven't kissed you since the morning and I DON'T want to do it in front of the boys outside."

"Oh...OH!" Clarisse exclaimed, the sparkle returning to her eyes and her expression turning from mortified to delighted, before her smile turned coy.

"Of course you may kiss me, sir... you are my husband after all," and there was a slight pause before he slid over to tilt her chin up and softly kissed her, a kiss that was very similar to the first one he had given her after the reception, but less cautious and more passionate.

It was only when they needed oxygen that they broke apart and Joseph sat back on the leather seat next to her, still facing her, and chuckled, much to Clarisse's bewilderment.

"Mmm?" she raised an eyebrow inquiringly.

"I was just thinking that we're almost like teenagers, making out in the back seat of the car!"

"With our bodyguards waiting outside!" she laughed, amused yet alos blushing slightly at his comparison of them to teenagers in the first bloom of love and passion.

"It was your idea, my dear husband... a very good one, though... shouldn't we get out?" she added and he shrugged.

"If we want to... it is OUR honeymoon, remember?"

"True," she almost sighed, resting her head against his shoulder. "I'm just a little worried about what they're thinking..." she said honestly- she knew the men respected Joseph greatly but she was also worried...

"Who cares? I suspect that they're please for us and it's also none of their business..." before he leaned over and kissed her again, determined to make her worries disappear- he knew for certain that the boys wouldn't think anything disrespectful about them, they liked both him and Clarisse too much for that- and when he pulled away, he knew he had succeeded judging by the dreamy expression on her face and her eyes were slightly glazed over, before he slid out through his door and strode around to open her door to help her out, as he had done the previous day and many, many days before that- the only difference was that from yesterday onwards, he was helping his _wife_ out of the car, not primarily the Queen.

The men who had arrived ahead of them had already checked the property over and had opened the house up for them, so that when they stepped into the open plan living room, dining room and kitchen, the dusty air from previous visits was slowly disappearing, replaced by the fresh sea air that was drifting in via the open French windows.

"I had forgotten how light and open this house is," Clarisse said almost to herself as she spied a framed photograph of Phillipe on the mantle and walked over to run a finger around his face.

"Phillipe knew that as soon as he saw that that he was going to buy it... it was always his retreat..." she trailed off for a moment before she shook off her reflective mood and turned to smile brightly out onto thebeach, reminding herself that she was happy now and he would be happy to know that.

"This place is nice," Joseph agreed as he followed her out onto the doorstep and surveyed the scene. "It's different being here as a guest rather than checking out the place security wise..." but he, as Clarisse's personal bodyguard, hadn't come out here unless Clarisse was visiting, but he could imagine how complex it could be to arrange for security for the house, not that he doubted his team's capabilities for a second.

"Mmm...but this house is lovely," she looked around- with polished wooden floors, the living room was comfortably furnished, as was the dining room, albeit with less furniture as compared to the palaces, and a quick glance in the kitchen informed her that it contained all the up to date technology needed to make a stay there quite comfortable.

"The beach looks tempting," he teased as he wrapped a gentle arm around her waist and she leaned back against him. "Shall we go for a walk along it after we unpack and have lunch?"

"That sounds wonderful."

Upstairs consisted of four bedrooms and two bathrooms, the main bedroom considerably larger than the others with a queen sized mattress and it's own suite and a small balcony with a spectacular view of the ocean.

Joseph whistled in awe as he followed Clarisse into the room and stepped around their luggage- one suitcase for him, four for Clarisse- to walk over and open the french doors.

"Impressed?" she teased, watching him and realizing that he had stepped into another world upon marriage to her.

"Very... no wonder Phillipe was keen to spend his time out here... the view I had from my room is rather differen to this!" he said ironically and, for a moment, Clarisse felt slightly ashamed that their lives had been so different but was suddenly filled with a determination that he would receive everything that he deserved from now on, before they both turned their attention to their luggage and unpacking it all into the nearby wooden dresser and built in wardrobe, sharing drawers and wardrobe space, although Clarisse had more clothes than Joseph.

Clarisse blushed deeply when she discovered the pile of silk and lace lingerie she couldn't remember packing (or perhaps her maids had- they had helped her with her packing) and she was just stuffing it into a drawer when she heard the sound of the wardrobe door being slid closed and she turned to see him standing there.

"Well, I'm finished unpacking..."

"So am I," she closed the drawer decisively, a tiny bit annoyed that her ladies maids had done that, before turning back to him. "So, what's for lunch?"

0

After a leisurely lunch, sitting outside at the small table set up on the veranda on the ground floor, which the french doors opened out onto and that led down to the path that led down the sand, they both kicked off their shoes and followed that same path down the beach.

"Hopefully the weather will be nice while we're here," she commented as they began walking along the shore, away from the house, side by side but not touching.

"Here's hoping," he agreed before deciding to make a joke- despite their moment in the car, things still felt awkward between them. "Maybe, if the weather's fine, we could sunbathe..." he added with a grin and Clarisse burst out laughing.

"Sunbathing, us? At our age?" she finally exclaimed, moving closer to him and looping her arm through is.

"Although..." she paused and turned to look at him, giving him the once over, remembering the previous night and how magnificent she had thought he had looked, so muscular and so fit...

"Although what?" he prompted, seeing her face glaze over with an expression of lust, a look he hadn't seen very often at all but made her seem less remote and more human, not that she wasn't those things with him.

"Although... YOU could always sunbathe and I'll watch you!" she teased.

"I don't think so!" he growled before leaning over and nuzzling her neck gently. "If I sunbathe, so do you!"

"Not with my fair skin and definitely NOT if I don't have a swimsuit!"

"Did you bring a swimsuit with you?" he asked immediately and she turned coy.

"I might have... but Joseph, me in a swimsuit? At my age? I'm still Queen, what if someone sees us?"

"No one will see us, my love," he stopped and turned to face her. "The boys will not say a word and this house is relatively isolated- the nearest house is several kilometres away... but you don't need to worry about any of that here... Clarisse," he tipped her chin up so that she was meeting his eyes.

"For the next couple of days, we are simply a newly married couple on our honeymoon with no rules or responsibilities...we're just Joseph and Clarisse and that's who we'll always be," he said simply and she couldn't help but smile as she reached out and caressed his cheek, her simple wedding band catching their attention.

"Oh Joseph, you are right, you are so, so right, and I want this just as much as you do... it may take me a little while to be used to this, us being allowed to be together all the time, but this is all I want now... just you and me," she said gently and he he couldn't help but pull her close and kiss her, the ice thawing between them, although it wasn't ice, it was more like a feeling of awkwardness...

"I can wait, my dear," he said huskily after they broke apart. "I'm a patient man and I can wait..."

"You've waited too long for me, I'm not worth that," she said almost too softly before he grabbed her hand and raised it to his lips, his eyes never leaving hers.

"You are more than worth every minute I've waited for you and I don't want you to ever think otherwise," he looked at her almost fiercely but she knew he wasn't angry, just determined that she should understand and he would never change his mind.

There was so much she wanted to say to him in return, to apologize for, but she didn't know how to begin and she was struggling with her emotions and the crowding words in her mind before he, realizing her quandry and sensing there were things that she still wanted to say, suddenly looped her arm through his and squeezed her hand.

"We have plenty of time to talk while we're here... let's just enjoy our first walk down the beach as husband and wife."

"Alright," she said, the smile broadening on her face with each step. "It's certainly nice to have you at my side rather than following behind me."

"It's definitely nice being beside you rather than following behind and having Lionel stuck to me like Velcro," he pretended to grumble and Clarisse laughed as they continued their stroll down the beach, finally feeling that they were back to their normal selves again...


	6. The First Afternoon

_A/N: a 'first afternoon' at the beach and soon... their 'first night'... couldn't resist!_

_Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you all rock!_

_The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me_

The rest of their first afternoon at the beach house flew by- once Joseph and Clarisse had returned from their stroll down the beach, where they had stuck to 'safe' subjects such as Mia and the upcoming coronation, they had explored the rest of the house and discovered another bathroom and laundry downstairs as well as a small library Clarisse hadn't known existed, while upstairs, the other bedrooms were smaller than the main bedroom but had almost as good views from their respective windows, causing Joseph to comment that whoever had built the house had wanted all of his guests to appreciate the view, "although they're not as good as ours!"

After they had finished exploring, they ended up back in the living room and, by almost mutual agreement, opted to curl up on the comfortable long leather couch and watch television.

"This is a novelty to me, Clarisse commented as Joseph flipped through the channels. "I never had time to watch television and if I did, I much preferred to curl up with a good book!"

"You weren't the only one!" he retorted half jokingly with a touch of defensiveness in his voice. "I usually found that whatever was on tv was boring so it was easy not to watch... not that I really wanted to anyway."

"So says the man who was often spotted watching a basketball game or some other sport with a certain prince of the realm who had developed an interest in American sports!" she responded quickly as she kicked off her shoes and curled up her feet next to her before resting against him, his arm going around her seconds later.

"Alright, there were some times when I did like watching what was on television...in my defense, however, Phillipe was someone I could hardly say no to!"

"It was part of his charm," Clarisse said with a smile, her eyes misting over a little at the thought of so much promise, talent and charm gone forever- he would have made a wonderful King but, thankfully, much of his talents and charm lived on in his daughter.

"But yes," she said after a moment. "It was difficult to say no to him when he really wanted something... Rupert often told me I spoiled him but I'm glad I did... and with Pierre too..."

Joseph heard the sadness in her voice but chose not to comment, not wanting to embarrass her, instead stopping on the movie channel, smiling when he saw what was on- Gone with the Wind, one of Clarisse's favourite films- and his smile broadened when he felt her snuggle into him...

She was slowly but surely relaxing with and it was a sign of her increasing relaxation with him, the wall she had maintained around herself for years slowly crumbling, that she was snuggling into him without a word and he was relieved, not that he was seriously concerned that it was taking time (and would take some more) for her to settle down- the wedding had occurred less than 24 hours earlier; he too was still slightly bewildered but they knew each other so well after many years of friendship and he was confident that the initial rough patches would soon smooth out, before he focused his attention on the movie and the comfortable silence between them.

Half an hour into the movie, he glanced over and noticed that she had fallen asleep on his shoulder and he couldn't help but watch her for a few seconds, noticing her breathing was deep and even, her expression relaxed and peaceful, before he slowly slid off the couch and laid her lengthways on the couch, her eyes never opening as she stirred for a moment to roll onto her side.

After he had draped a blanket over her legs, again marvelling at how beautiful she was, even asleep, he sat down on a nearby matching leather chair and switched to the sports channel- hopefully he could sneak half a game in before Clarisse woke up...

0

The sunlight in the living room was steadily fading when Clarisse opened her eyes and was vaguely disoriented- where was she, everything around her was unfamiliar- but it only took a moment or two before she gathered her thoughts and suddenly remembered that she was on her honeymoon with Joseph... and speaking of, where was he?

"Joseph?" she called as she sat up, a little embarrassed at having fallen asleep. "Joseph?" she repeated, feeling a little panicked- he wouldn't have left her alone in the house...

"In the kitchen!" she heard his voice loud and clear and realized that he was only a few steps away, a fact she proved moments later when she padded across the wooden floors and came to stop in front of the granite topped bench and watched Joseph rummaging through the fridge before emerging with several ingredients for what was obviously going to be a salad and, as he nudged the door closed with his foot, setting them down on the wooden workbench situated in the middle of the kitchen before smiling over at her.

"Hello sleepyhead," he teased, strolling over with a bottle of wine and two glasses and she couldn't help but blush. "Are you bored with me already?" he added, handing her a glass of wine and her cheeks burned hotter.

"No... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep," she apologized but before she could say anymore, he reached over and rested a hand on top of hers, a warm, reassuring pressure.

"It's fine, you must have needed the rest...that, or the movie wasn't as interesting as you thought it was," he joked, knowing how much she loved that movie and he wasn't surprised when she shooke her head.

"No, I think I was tired," she admitted- she hadn't slept very much at all the previous night, mainly out of, simultaneously, nerves and joy- before she decided to change the subject. "What did you get up to while I was asleep?"

"Not much, just finished watching your film... it was rather good,"he tried to sound casual as he walked back to the workbench and continued his preparations for dinner, looking up when he heard her chuckle. "What?"

"I don't believe you... I don't think you watched the end of that movie- or even liked it- I think you switched channels as soon as you realized I was asleep and watched a basketball game or something," she teased with a smile and, busted, he had to grin sheepishly at her.

"Alright, I'm busted," he agreed. "But honestly- could you have seen me watching the rest of that movie?"

"I don't think so," she looked amused at the thought as she sipped her wine before she looked around the kitchen. "So, I assume that you're preparing for dinner... what would you like me to do?"

"Nothing," he said firmly. "Everything is sorted for now."

"What are we having?"

"Store bought lasagna and salad, with a surprise for dessert."

"It sounds delicious...did you want me to set the table?" she offered, starting to move around the counter but Joseph stopped her by holding up a hand.

"No, you are not helping tonight, I want you to just relax..."

"You're not going to suggest that I don't know my way around a kitchen?" she looked mildly insulted but he was quick to shake his head.

"No, I'm not... I just want you to relax tonight... why don't you go and have a shower?" he suggested and she looked mildly horrified at the suggestion.

"I couldn't possibly!"

"I insist- everything is pretty much done and I've already had a shower... go," he encouraged and she finally headed towards the door that led out to the stairs before turning, still a little concerned.

"Are you sure?"

"I am, but if you don't go this time, I WILL put you to work!" he teased and she couldn't help but laugh before disappearing upstairs for her shower.

When she returned twenty minutes later, feeling revived and happy, if not a little excited- being here was completely different to being at the palace and there was not only no routine, she wasn't surrounded by ladies maids, bodyguards and various palace staff- there were no one in the house besides her and Joseph, the team of bodyguards only metres away... but it was only the two of them and while it still made her nervous to think of them alone, not being watched, it was also something she knew she had been looking forward to for a long, long time.

The smell of cooked lasagna permeated the air, the scent growing stronger and stronger as she stepped into the kitchen where she discovered Joseph was serving it up.

"Just in time!" he said with a grin when he saw her standing behind him before he chivvied her towards the table where she noticed that not only had the lights been dimmed and the french doors closed to the cooling sea air, the table had been set just like formal dinners at the palace with fancy china, cutlery, napkins and glasses (the kitchen was obviously well stocked, Phillipe had obviously been well prepared) but it somehow seemed less formal and much more romantic this way, especially as Joseph would be sitting opposite her...

"This is so beautiful," she murmured as he held her chair out for her and then disappeared back into the kitchen for their meals. "This is incredible, Joseph, you have gone to so much torouble for us... I wish I could have helped..."

"You did, by having a shower," he said briskly as he sat down opposite her and poured two glasses of wine before looking at her again.

"Sweetheart," he got a thrill out of using the term of endearment, although he wasn't quite sure how she would react. "I WANTED to cook dinner for you- the past month has been so chaotic for you..."

"Indeed it has," she agreed- she did appreciate the efforts he was going to, but she didn't want him to feel that he had to continue to taking care of her as he had when he had been her Head of Security- they were now husband and wife, equal partners in life and they could look after each other now.

"Actually, the last six or seven years haven't been the easiest in your life," he continued, not wanting to upset her but speaking the truth. "I just wanted the first day of your new life...which will probably really start after Mia becomes Queen... to be less complicated and tumultuous...I know you've had a different life to me for much of your life, but I have the feeling that you want a simpler life now and I hope that I can give that to you..."

There was a silence as Clarisse ate some of her lasagna and considered his words while Joseph looked at her worriedly, fearful that he had crossed the line.

"Clarisse..." he began before she spoke over him, focusing her gaze on her wine glass as she fiddled with her napkin.

"You're right, life hasn't been particularly easy for the past few years- Rupert, Phillipe, Mia, running a country on my own..." she sounded introspective and a little sad, which was the last thing he wanted but he sensed that perhaps his words would be the catalyst that would allow her to open up and say what she wanted to say.

"One never wonders what is going on, why one has been given so much responsibility, just simply get on with it, like the British do, but there were times... there were times when I wondered whether I would make it through... there were times when parliament didn't think I would..."

"I never doubted that you wouldn't not get through it, you are a strong woman."

"Strong meaning cold," she looked up at him for a moment before looking back at her glass. "If I was strong, people interpreted it as me being cold..."

"Those who know you the best, and the people of Genovia, know that that's not true."

"Still..." she sighed heavily, her features clouded over as she remembered the many times she had heard whispers about whether she could handle the throne until Phillipe's daughter came of age... and when Mia came onto the scene, it was even worse because she had to hear whispers and doubts about her own granddaughter.

"Still..." she repeated, before looking up at him with a small smile.

"You saved me... you and Charlotte... I don't know what I would have done without you two propping me up for the past five years..."

"We weren't propping you up, we were just giving you encouragement and support... no one props Clarisse Renaldi up," he said, reaching over for her hand and resting his on top of it. "You may have felt that you weren't strong enough for everyone, but you were... and you weren't cold because of that- in fact, because you were able to survive and move on with your life, as hard as that may have been. "

"Oh Joseph..." her eyes filled with tears at his words."I don't know what I would have done without you especially... you were Mia's chief supporter..."

"But I was your chief supporter long before that and always have been," he said gently and the tears that had been swimming in her eyes slowly began to spill over.

"I'm sorry for what happened that night," she said softly, anguish in every syllable. "I didn't want to hurt you but Mia..."

"I was foolish to even try and push an answer out of you that night," he replied, still feeling guilty.

"I should have given you an answer long before..."

"You had a lot on your plate at the time."

"Nevertheless, you and our relationship should have been among my top priorities."  
>"Not at the expense of Mia and her happiness...your granddaughter needed you more a<p>

t that time and I should have realized that," he said remorsefully and Clarisse realized that he was feeling just as bad as she was about that night and that was probably was part of what was keeping them apart- their respective guilt about that night and what could have been done.

"We've made so many mistakes," she said, shifting her chair so that she was sitting next to him. "I, not realizing that, for once, I should have put us first..."

"...and I for not allowing you extra time and space and allowing Mia to be married and on the throne before you made your decision. However, it did all work out in the end..." he gave her a significant look and her face lit up as she remembered Mia's gentle push that led them down the aisle. "I really will have to thank your granddaughter properly when we get home and the coronation is over."

"OUR granddaughter," she corrected gently and when he looked at her in bewilderment, ready to protest at her words, she smiled- she had been wanting to correct him all afternoon and now here was her chance.

"She never knew Rupert and you've always been as good as a surrogate grandfather to her since she was fifteen... yesterday, when you married me only made your role official... how does it feel to be a grandfather?"

"Wonderful," he choked up and now it was Clarisse's turn to squeeze his hand tightly. "I always thought of her as... but I didn't dare..."

"Well now you are, officially and by proclaimation from me, the reigning Queen of Genovia and your wife," she said gently, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek before moving back to her dinner.

"Now," she said briskly, feeling better that she had confided in him and that the feeling of awkwardness was slowly slipping away... hopefully, by the time they returned to the palace, they would be more than comfortable in their new roles and with each other. "I think I want to finish this so that your time..."

"My afternoon toiling away in the kitchen!" he pretended to looked martyred.

"Not all afternoon!" she replied pertly. "... Wasn't wasted... and then I can find out what you planned for dessert!"


	7. The First Night

_A/N: Thanks to all my loyal readers and reviewers- you all rock!_

_The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!_

"I know it's usually not polite to say this out loud, but I am full!" Clarisse said as she sat back in her chair with a contented sigh. "I suspected you had some culinary skills, but tonight... you certainly are a chef!"

"This is nothing, the lasagna was store bought," he said modestly, pretending to blush. "However, you will see some of my skills in action before the end of the week... I'm more than just a handsome, athletic former Head of Security!" he pretended to preen.

"I know," Clarisse replied, well aware she was slightly tipsy before she leant over the table in a very unladylike manner and touched his fingers with her fingertips, a moment before he took her fingers and lifted them to his lips.

"I've known that for a long time... a long, long time," she clarified almost woozily, feeling the affects of the bottle and a half of wine they had shared before and during dinner.

She hadn't been tipsy in years- which, given her role, was a safe option, she could only imagine what the parliamentarians would say if they had ever seen her like that (although it was fine if Rupert was more than a little drunk- typical boy's club mentality)- but tonight was the first night she had felt free enough to relax and have a little more to drink than usual.

"So when's dessert? What is for dessert?" she asked as she sipped her wine again and Joseph smiled- she was so adorable when she was tipsy but he, unlike other men he knew who lusted after her, would never take advantage of that fact- in fact, he was more inclined to protect her...

"Wouldn't you rather wait until your dinner has settled first?" he suggested reasonably.

"Maybe..." she pouted playfully for a moment and then sat back in her chair. "That's fine... I'm just curious about what we're having for dessert."

"You'll find out soon enough," he teased before he paused, watching her trace a pattern on the tablecloth, her wedding band glinting in the light, and he suddenly remembered there was something he wanted to ask her.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," she beamed at him. "Although, technically, you just did ask me something... but yes, of course."

"When... when did you take off Rupert's ring?" he asked, so quietly that he wasn't sure she had heard him and the silence after it confirmed it- until he heard her say "Oh!" in a strange, almost choked up voice and he looked up to see her staring almost blankly at her left hand and he realized it was probably a question he shouldn't have asked.

"I'm sorry, it's too personal a question, you don't have to answer... I don't want you to answer."

"But _I _want to answer," she met his eyes almost defiantly before looking back down at her left hand.

"I took Rupert's ring off... on that night... afterwards... it didn't feel right to wear another man's ring when I wanted to start a new life with someone else, even if that person didn't want to be with me after what had transpired between us, and I had been feeling that for the last few years... I had never thought about it until then but on that night, that ring signified everything in my life I wanted to be free of, especially my duty to Genovia, and I wanted to be rid of it," she finished bitterly and Joseph leaned over to rest his hand on top of hers.

"While that ring may have signified troublesome issues in your life, it also signified that, through Rupert, you had Pierre, Phillipe and Mia come into your life, and we both know your life wouldn't have been the same without them," he reminded her gently. "There were some positives..."

"True," she said softly, staring down at his hand on top of hers, suddenly feeling sober and incredibly depressed but she didn't know why... life was good again and they were married, but they had missed so many years...

"I'm sorry I asked," he said apologetically and it was her turn to put a hand on top of his as she looked up at him. "I didn't want to make you feel sad."

"I'm not... oh, I am a little, about what we've missed out on, years that we could have been together..."  
>"We could have been together a few years earlier but we both know that we wouldn't have been allowed to until Mia came of age..."<p>

"THAT'S what bothers me!" she cried, pulling away from him and shifting in her chair restlessly. "Almost my entire life was devoted to duty to my country and..."

"You always did the right thing and I'm sure the people appreciate it... but duty won't dictate the next chapter of your life- Mia will be Queen and aside from you being needed occasionally in an advisory capacity, you will be free to do what you want."

"With you," she added hastily not wanting to hurt his feelings but he didn't seem bothered as he sat back in his chair and regarded her calmly, still feeling slightly guilty about what he had asked but relieved that she had opened up a little to tell him. He hadn't thought about the ring before, even at the wedding when she slipped off her left glove and her hand was bare, but he had suddenly realized it was missing earlier...

"How about dessert?" he inquired after a moment, wanting to lighten the atmosphere and her face brightened almost immediately.

"Yes please, that would be lovely."

As it turned out, dessert was the tiny top tier of the three tier wedding cake Clarisse had approved of for Mia's wedding a week ago and had only glimpsed momentarily the evening before (she and Joseph hadn't had a chance to cut it) and she remembered that Mia, rebelling against generations of wedding cakes made of fruit cake, had insisted on, unusually, chocolate with the traditional marzipan icing.

Clarisse had been slightly bewildered at her granddaughter's choice of cake- chocolate cake at a royal wedding... she could just see the faces of some of the members of parliament- but now, at this precise moment, she was more than happy that Mia had stood by her decision and she had agreed to it.

"Oh... darling..." she almost stumbled over the words, although she had been dreaming of saying for a long time. "How... how did you get this?" she gasped, leaning forward in her chair as he cut her a slice and then did the same for himself. "I thought it was all eaten?"

"I spoke to Mia before it was taken away- and before we had decided to come out here- about how everyone else would eat our cake but we wouldn't get a chance to- and I assume that she managed to arrange for this part to disappear... I know it may be a little selfish..."

"Absolutely not," Clarisse said defiantly before she tasted the cake and made a hum of appreciation. "I can say, after tasting that, that I am definitely glad that you asked Mia to set this aside... it's delicious!"

"Your chefs outdid themselves again!" he agreed- he wasn't a big fan of chocolate or cake (his exercise regime had never allowed him to really treat himself) but this cake... "I guess that's why they work at the palace!"

"Tonight has definitely been lovely," Clarisse said after they finished their cake and sat back again to allow their dessert to settle. "I'm glad you stole that cake... and it was delicious... so, what shall we do this evening?"

"Anything we want... why don't we watch a film on television?"

"NOT a basketball game?" she arched an eyebrow inquiringly and he had to laugh.

"No, not any sports games whatsoever," he vowed solemnly, his eyes twinkling mischieviously...

0

As promised, they did end up watching a film on television, but it wasn't the action thriller Clarisse had offered to watch when he paused on the channel in question but, rather, another romance film that Joseph had insisted he didn't mind watching.

"Are you sure?" Clarisse looked sceptical as she stretched out on the couch, Joseph at the other end.

"Positive," he affirmed, patting her knee before they turned their attention to the moive, both secretly relieved that things were starting to feel normal between them.

Halfway through the film Joseph became aware that Clarisse had changed positions and was leaning against him but when she felt him watching her, she turned and beamed at him, suddenly feeling happy as well as surprisingly flirtatious, as evidenced by her murmuring: "Kiss me."

"What my lady wants, my lady gets," he quipped before leaning over and doing exactly what she requested, although one kiss quickly escalated into two, three, four, five kisses and Joseph, when he finally pulled away from her intoxicating kisses, realized they were both full stretched out on the couch, Clarisse beneath him, her silk blouse rumpled, her face flushed and his shirt almost completely unbuttoned.

"We definitely are like teenagers," she commented as she ran gentle fingers down his bare chest.

"How's that?" he tried to smooth her ruffled hair but couldn't very successfully.

"Well... as you pointed out earlier, we 'made out', if that's the correct term, in the car and now we're in the midst of doing the same thing on the couch..."

"Don't tell me you didn't like it?" he looked half amused, half concerned as he began to sit up but she stopped him with a gentle tug on his shirt.

"No, I'm not saying that... in fact, I'm enjoying this very much, it's fun," she said with a shy smile, enchanting him so much that he leant down to kiss her again before pulling away with a groan and slowly standing up.

"Be that as it may, I don't think that here is the best place for seduction... although it is fun to fool around on it," he smiled mischieviously and she laughed.

"You're incorrigible!" she laughed as he helped her up and they headed towards the stairs.

"I know," he looked modest before glancing around. "I'll meet you upstairs, sweetheart, I'm just going to go and make sure that that everything is closed and locked... I won't be long."

Upstairs in their suite, after closing the French doors and drawing the curtains, Clarisse stood in front of the dresser and looked at the pile of lingerie she had practically shoved into the drawer earlier. She was still a little annoyed that her maids had seen fit to pack it, but she WAS a newlywed and she had always wanted to wear it with her husband... not Rupert, but Joseph...

"I won't be long in the bathroom," she heard from behind her and she jumped, shoving the drawer shut as Joseph passed with his pyjamas in his arms. "I know you have a nightly beauty regime," he teased as their eyes met and she blushed. "...so you need more time, but I can tell you now that you don't need it!"

"You're too sweet..."

"It's the truth," he looked at her long and meaningfully before disappearing into the bathroom.

When it was Clarisse's turn, she spent far longer than she intended in the bathroom, not because of her beauty regime (although she went through it more carefully than usual, mostly because she hadn't done it the evening before) but because she wasn't sure she wanted to emerge in the pink lace and silk lingerie her maids had packed- it was too short, too lacy, too low in the back...

Her face was a bright red as she looked at herself in the mirror- it was NOT appropriate for a Queen, a grandmother and a woman her age... Rupert hadn't been particularly interested in lingerie (well, on her at least) and she wasn't sure how Joseph would react... but IF they did pack any other night wear, it would be in the other room...

Much to her surprise, the bedroom was blanketed in darkness when she stepped back in- Joseph was already asleep?- but she was also a little relieved, now she could slip into bed without Joseph seeing her attire.

She was just about to climb into bed, smiling as she heard the sounds of the waves crashing onto the shore (maybe they would have to have a midnight stroll while they were there) when she suddenly heard a click and the room was lit up and she realized that Joseph had rolled over onto his side and was facing her.

"You were in the bathroom a long time," he observed and she blushed, feeling incredibly slef conscious as she felt his gaze burn into her body, looking at what she was wearing.

"I... I..." she stammered, feeling like a schoolgirl as he slid over the mattress and pushed the covers back to sit on the mattress in front of her.

"You look gorgeous."

"It's too short... too low... totally inappropriate for a Queen..."

"But very much appropriate for a wife to wear in the privacy of her own bedroom, starting with when she's a newlywed," he said, reaching over and pulling her closer to him, his arms encircling her waist.

"You don't think I'll be wearing these all the time, do you?" she teased as he pulled her down next to him. "I don't think so, darling!" this time, the endearment rolled off her tongue easily and she felt a thrill course through her- FINALLY, she felt comfortable about calling him that and she was actually free to call him that or any other term of endearment.

"I wouldn't ask you to wear anything you don't feel comfortable wearing," he said patiently and when she looked into his eyes, she knew he was being sincere- he wouldn't care what she wore to bed, just as long as they were together- and she suddenly felt different about the flimsy, almost transparent lingerie, especially seeing the look of lust in his eyes- maybe he wouldn't belittle her, make her feel silly...

"Do you like it?" she asked shyly and he leaned over to give her a long, searing kiss. "Well, I definitely know how you feel," she added breathlessly.

"I love it," he murmured, his voice almost a low rumble as he leaned forward and kissed her again, his hands moving from her waist and instead focused on stroking her shoulders and back. "I do, very much..."

"I'm glad," she responded softly, he rmind beginning to swim from the combination of his kisses and caresses. "So very, very glad..." she trailed off as he laid her back against her pillows, still kissing and caressing her.

He paused for a moment to gaze down at her- she was so beautiful, especially with her face flushed, eyes clouded with passion, her chest heaving with her breathing and her hands... her hands were so distracting, having slipped underneath his t-shirt (which he had put on to prevent her from shrinking away in embarrassment) and were now running up and down his smooth skin, her nails gently scratching him. He still couldn't believe that she was his wife and had been for well over twenty four hours.

Clarisse almost whimpered as she felt her hands move around and slip down her front- she had never fully realized how loving and passionate he could be (and could elicit the same emotions from her)... he had always been so handsome, charming, intelligent, funny, a true friend but always bordering on the edge of something more, but it was all the more potent now that he was her husband... HER husband...

"Are you alright?" he looked at her solicitiously when he discovered that her hands had frozen in their movements and she smiled.

"I'm fine... I'm more than fine, being with you... I do love you, you know," she said, lifting and resting her hand against his cheek.

"I love you too..." he replied softly before he leaned down to kiss her again and again and, before she knew it, her 'lingerie' and pyjamas had disappeared among the sheets and all her fears had been stripped away, leavin gher completely vulnerable to him, both physically and emotionally, but she was feeling much more comfortable than last night and she knew there was nothing to worry about... this man kissing her was Joseph, her husband, and he would never hurt her for anything in the world...


	8. Confessions Part One

_A/N: just a short, cute chapter to keep the story rolling... next chapter may be a little more serious!_

_Thanks to all my readers and reviewers... you all rock!_

_The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!_

"Are you still awake?" Clarisse whispered much, much later as she lay wrapped in his arms, his body spooned against her back, his mouth almost near her ear, his breath warming it every time he exhaled. "Joseph?"

"Yes I'm still awake," his voice was a low rumble in the dark, a combination of sexy and comforting at the same time. "I thought you were asleep."

"Not after my nap this afternoon!" she joked with a chuckle. "I'm not tired now because of that... I thought you would be asleep, though."

"No, I can't and I don't want to... why would I, when I'm holding the most beautiful woman in the world in my arms?" he asked softly knowing, as he said the words, that she would be embarrassed and seconds later, as he expected, he could literally feel the heat rising off her body as she blushed before she shifted uncomfortably, trying to get away from him (although, deep down, she didn't want to) but he wouldn't let her go.

"Why are you so uncomfortable about me saying that? It's the truth."

"It... it's just that... it's a little strange hearing genuine compliments, ones that are said with such love," she paused to swallow hard, tears choking up her throat. "Rupert tried, but he was hardly the effusive type and parliament... I wouldn't trust their compliments as far as I could throw a ball," she said bluntly but honestly.

"Most of them are on the lecherous side," he agreed. "But you believe me, don't you? You know that I think you're the most beautiful woman in the world... you are, you know."

"I know," she said but her voice sounded so small and hesitant that Joe was suddenly concerned- Rupert hadn't been the most complimentary man in the world, but surely he had made the occasional effort with his wife, or at least he didn't put her down, and he was tempted to switch on a light and turn her to face him to find out the truth, but he knew she would retreat into her shell if pushed and he didn't want that.

"Clarisse?" he pressed gently and there was a long pause before she let out a long, heavy sigh.

"I don't know... I never thought that much about my looks, even when I was young and everyone told me how lovely I was..."

"You were more than lovely, you were... and are... stunning..."

"You're very sweet... but when Rupert discovered younger women and they were far more appealing to him..." she trailed off, still smarting over that discovery, although it had happened years earlier. "I thought and felt that I was old and unattractive..."

"Which you are most certainly are not!" he said indignantly.

"I felt that I was, even when you were telling me you found me attractive, and I somehow felt that it wasn't true- I'm a mother, grandmother and Queen!"

"You are also a woman who shouldn't close her heart to love... you are a woman with private needs and wishes."

"Needs!" her face burned hotter at the words.

"Yes, needs- just because you're a Queen, mother and grandmother, it doesn't mean that those roles should completely define you, there is more to you... you may project one image to the world but there is also another side to you..." and he ran a hand down her back,eliciting a gasp and goosebumps from her.

"Accepting compliments is something you need to get used from now on because I'm telling you that you will be receiving quite a few from me..." before he pressed his lips onto her bare shoulder. "I'm taking that part of my husbandly duties very seriously!"

"Thank you," she said so softly that he almost missed it but he heard it and he squeezed her closer to him.

"There's nothing to thank me for- I just want you to be happy."

"I am, I am," she reassured him quickly, stroking his available hand softly. "More so than I ever thought I would be at this time in my life... and I'll try and accept compliments that come my way more gracefully... I just don't want to be viewed as vain."

"That will never happen, you are the least vain person I know... and you will be able to accept compliments..." he said confidently, sad at what she had told him but not entirely surprised- Rupert had been a good King but his relationships with his wife and sons has been rather rocky.

"So," she suddenly turned so that they were facing each other, the dim light of the moon illuminating their faces only dimly. "Now you know one of my deep, dark secrets, I need to request the same from you," she teased coyly. "Tell me something I don't know about you."

"Something you don't know about me?" he was confused, scratching his head with his free hand. "I don't think there's anything you DON'T know about me."

"There has to be a few things," she encouraged. "I DO know, despite pretending otherwise, that you were quite a ladies man when you first came to the palace."

"Completely untrue, all rumours," he responded immediately. "I will admit thtat there was a romance or two with some of the maids..."

"More like twenty," she murmured, giggling when she felt him run a hand down her side again. "You were, I hear, quite a heartbreaker... the gossip I used to hear about you..."

"I didn't make any promises or commitments!" he protested. "They all knew I wanted to get ahead with my career..."

"I'm sure most of them weren't pleased when they noticed you and I getting closer..."

"I wouldn't have cared, you were important to me then but we were friends then...besides, I notice that they are all married now!"

"Those poor girls... they all liked you..."

"I WAS considering marriage once," he suddenly burst out and Clarisse immediately leaned up on an elbow to look at him, interested, intrigued but surprised at the strong surge of jealousy coursing through her.

"Oh really? Who was she?" she tried to sound casual but failing miserably.

"Yes I was," he grinned at the tone of her voice- she was jealous at the mere THOUGHT of another woman in his life, albeit many years ago, and he thought it was cute and proved that she really did love him.

"She was the sister of one of my friends from college who had had a crush on me for years... we met up again a year after I graduated, when I was still trying to figure out what to do with my life... we dated for a couple of months and I was considering proposing and then..."

"Then what?" she was on tenterhooks.

"Then... I was offered a security internship in England and while we did try to make it work, it just didn't work out."

"I'm sorry," she said sadly, half sincere in that but also selfishly glad that he hadn't married her. "What happened to her?"

"Married another friend of mine, four kids, lives in France... we're still friends and I'm sure you would like her if you were ever to meet," he said sincerely before he couldn't resist teasing her a little. "You weren't seriously jealous of her, were you?"

"No, absolutely not!" she pretended to bluster, sounding indifferent, but he could sense that she was fibbing and thus didn't say anything for a long time, so long were they lying in silence that Clarisse finally cracked, feeling foolish.

"Alright, I was a tiny bit jealous when you said you HAD considered marriage with someone else... but it was only the once, wasn't it?"

"Only once," he affirmed, leaning over and kissing her forehead. "Once I met you and realized what I felt for you, marriage to anyone else was impossible."

"You couldn't have married, if you wanted," she pointed out.

"I could have, but I didn't want to," he responded simply. "I'm a little old fashioned in thinking that I need to love the woman I would marry."

"Rupert might not have passed away and I could still be married to him."

"Again, I wouldn't have changed my mind... I loved you from once upon a time and I love you now, nothing could have changed that."

"I still would have loved you too, despite Rupert and our wedding vows, but could you have lived with remaining only my best friend for the rest of your life?"

"I would have lived with it," he affirmed before leaning over and kissing her again. "However, thankfully, we don't have to consider any of those alternatives..." before he paused to yawn. "Maybe confession time is over for tonight... I think it might be..." he added as he kissed her again and her arms wound around his neck and pulled him closer to her.

"I think so too," she murmured in agreement before their lips met again and there was complete silence in the room, the sound of the waves outside the only sound to be heard.

0

The sun was streaming in through the crack in the curtains the following morning when Joseph awoke and spent a couple of seconds reorienting himself with his surroundings before quickly realizing that Clarisse wasn't lying beside him.

Instantly, his protective bodyguard instincts rose to the surface unheeded (he had been Clarisse's bodyguard longer than he had been her husband, he reminded himself as he felt slightly foolish) and he was about to leap out of bed to go searching for her, forgetting that there was a very capable group of bodyguards staying on the property with them (even so, it wouldn't have mattered to him as Clarisse was his responsibility) before he heard movement outside the door and then Clarisse stepped into the room, looking calm and unusually comfortably in only her robe, carrying a tray containing two cups and saucers, a teapot, a tiny container of sugar and plate of buttered, slightly burnt toast.

"Good morning!" she said cheerfully as she set the tray on his bedside table and leant over to kiss him, Joe catching sight of the cream coloured slip she was wearing underneath her robe before adding, matter of factly: "You look like you were just about to climb out of bed and come looking for me," she teased as he pulled her down onto his lap and kissed her again, feeling relieved.

Now that they had been away from the palace for a day, they had made some progression towards knocking down a few walls, Clarisse more than Joseph by having moments of intimacy that had, hopefully, strengthened the bond between them and allowed the true nature of their relationship (which had been so relaxed, loving and trusting during their 'courtship') to re-emerge and he felt comfortable enough knowing that to do what he was doing, her in his lap, with no protest from her.

"No, I wasn't," he lied unsuccessfully as she looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "I was just... wondering where you were," he corrected himself quickly.

"However, " he looked down a the tray. "It's fairly obvious where you were..." and Clarisse immediately looked embarrassed.

"The tea was easy to make, but the toast..." she trailed off.

"It's fine," he said quickly, taking a bite, and while it was slightly crunchier and more toasted than he was used to, it was still edible and she had done well on her first attempt with a toaster. "It is," he added firmly as she gave a noise of disbelief.

"You don't have to eat it."

"It's a great pre breakfast snack," he argued, continuing to munch on his toast. "It may be something we will have to get used to," he added, noting her sitting beside him on the bed, sipping her tea but not eating any of the toast.

"How many bad habits are you planning on introducing me to, Mr Bonnell?" she asked with a flirtatious twinkle in her eye.

"You're just going to have to wait and see," he replied, equally as flirtatious. "So, what are our plans for today?"

"At the moment, we have no defined plans," she looked blissful and Joseph suddenly realized that this was probably the first time when her day and life weren't planned down to the nth degree. "Maybe we could spend some time on the beach?"

"Fine with me... as long as you wear a bathing suit."

"What makes you think I brought one?"

"You did... your maids packed it for you, I assume, just as they packed that drawerful of sexy lingerie you're embarrassed about wearing in front of me," he added with a grin, her eyes widening in horror.

"How... how did you know about that?"

"You should know me by now, my darling, and realize that I know everything... that and I peeked into that drawer while you were in the bathroom last night."

"Oh!" she blushed again, looking mortified, before an unusually sly expression appeared on her face. ""By the way, have you seen my...nightgown, from last night?"

"I assume it's amongst the sheets somewhere...or you put in on this morning before you got up..."

"Not exactly," she said smugly before reaching down onto the floor and lifting up the garment... or what was left of it. "I don't know how it happened, I can't even remember taking it off... but somehow..." she gave him a very victorious look. "You must have liked this very, very much!" she teased and it was his turn to look sheepish.

"I must have gotten... carried away," he mumbled, looking down at his hands before Clarisse gently guided his face back to look at hers.

"At least I'm not nervous about wearing lingerie in front of you... Rupert hated it and insisted on me wearing pyjamas or 'sensible' nightgowns."

"I told you last night that I don't mind what you wear...it was his loss and you can wear whatever you want to bed, just whatever makes you feel comfortable."

"Maybe I will wear something like that again..." she said thoughtfully before they finished their tea and toast in comfortable silence, wondering what they could do that day...


	9. A Morning at the Beach

_A/N: Sorry, change of plans... I couldn't resist this chapter... but more confessions are coming!_

_Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you all rock!_

_The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!_

After a late breakfast of pancakes made by Joseph (causing Clarisse to comment that it was ''a far more edible meal than my meagre effort, ignoring his protests), they had decided to spend the morning at the beach and were about to go upstairs and change when Joseph's mobile rang, which had been charging on the bench in the kitchen.

They were both momentarily surprised by the sound and the thought of someone contacting them before Joseph picked up the phone.

"Hello?" If it was Shades, he was going to kill him... unless something had happened to Mia, he had been under strict instructions not to contact them.

"Hi Gramps!" came Mia's cheerful voice from the other end, and while he had towince at the name, he was pleased to hear from his new granddaughter.

"Good morning, Princess," he said formally but with an unmistakable warmth in his tone that Clarisse rejoiced in hearing- he had always been fond of Phillipe's child, not only because of Mia herself and her outgoing nature but also because she ws Phillipe's only child and Clarisse's granddaughter, but now that she was, at least, legally his as well, he couldn't help but feel a gush of pride everytime he spoke about or talked to her.

"How are you this morning?"

"Great and everything is fine here... you and Grandma are still front page news, in that they are wondering where they have gone on their honeymoon, but no one has figured it out."

"Yet," he said ominously- knowing the press, it wouldn't be long before they worked out.

"Be positive, Gramps!"

"Gramps?" he winced again.

"Just trying out a few names... you DID know that you ARE my grandfather now?"

"I do- your grandmother informed me and made it official through her roles as Queen and my wife."

"I knew she would," Mia laughed before turning hesitant. "You DON'T mind that, do you?"

"Of course not," he replied immediately. "It's an honour...we just might have to work on the name."

"Joey?" Mia giggled.

"Definitely not, only in very special circumstances... so, I assume you wish to speak to your grandmother?" he asked, walking over to the table where Clarisse was still sitting, listening to Joseph's side of the conversation with a smile.

"If you don't mind... but I'll definitely figure out the perfect name for you by the time yo get back..." and Joseph laughed before he passed the phone to his wife.

"Hello darling."

"Hello Grandma... are you having a good time?"

"We've only been here a day... but yes, yesterday was quite enjoyable."

She was well aware she sounded rather more formal than she intended, but she knew Mia wouldn't mind and would understand she didn't mean to be so formal.

"That's good...what are your plans for today?"

"We were just about to change and sit out on the beach for a while..."

"Aww... and will you both be wearing swimsuits to go swimming or will you be swimming without ...them?"

"Amelia!" Clarisse scolded half amused, half shocked as she blushed furiously. "That's VERY inappropriate!"

"...and none of my business, I know," Mia sounded unrepentent as she giggled at her previous words. "Either way, the weather is expected to remain fine for the next couple of days so you should have a great time... kind of makes me wish I was at the beach too..." she sounded wistful and sad for a moment, instantly attracting Clarisse's attention and making her feel a little guilty- while she had been nervous yet indescribably happy with Joseph, with the thought of retirement on her mind, Mia was preparing for a momentous step in her life and, unlike Clarisse, she would be making this transition alone.

"Are you alright?" she asked gently, guilty and concerned. "Is something wrong? Is the thought of the coronation troubling you? Are you worried about your duties and responsibilities?"

"No, it's not that," Mia said quickly before she sighed. "It's just that... after what Nicholas did at the church, I thought I would have heard from him, but it's like he's disappeared..." she sighed again before changing the subject, her tone turning bright again.

"Anyway, everything's fine here- Charlotte and Shades have everything under control- and I think Lily has a crush on the royal head of the guards, although she's denying it," she added confidentially.

"Anyway, I just thought I would call and find out how you two were... I WAS going to call yesterday but I thought you might be... busy," she giggled impishly and Clarisse couldn't help but laugh out loud along with her, a rich sound that Joe always loved to hear.

"Oh Mia, what am I going to do with you?" she finally said when the laughter had stopped, before turning serious. "I know Joseph will probably not like this... but if you ever feel... you want to talk... feel free to call here..." Clarisse offered. "I know exactly how you feel..." she added, her mind reflecting back on the years she and Joseph had waited for their time to come and she didn't want her granddaughter to endure that. She wasn't quite sure about Lord Devereaux- he WAS the nephew of the dreadful Viscount Mabrey- but she had the sense he was, deep down, a good, intelligent young man.

"I know... thank you, Grandma, I really do appreciate your offer but I couldn't do that... you are on your honeymoon..."

"Joseph and I can take another, extended honeymoon once you're on the throne and everything has settled down... but even then, we will still be available to you whenever you need us."

"There's something I appreciate... but for now, enjoy your few days at the beach and tell Joe he'll have his new name when he comes back," Mia joked before they hung up- or, rather, Mia hung up and Clarisse stared blankly at the phone, wondering which button to press before Joseph came to her rescue and pressed a red button, disconnecting the line completely.

"Mia checking up on us?" he asked fondly as they headed upstairs and Clarisse chuckled.

"Yes, in a way... I see she's trying out new names for you... well, that definitely means that you're a grandfather now!" she teased but didn't press the point- he ws proud of the fact that Mia and Clarisse considered him a member of their small family circle but it was still something new to him.

"I guess so... and by the way, I wouldn't have been annoyed if Mia calls us again during our stay... is she alright?" he asked, the concern in his voice obvious and Clarisse couldn't help but smile tenderly at him.

"She's fine... I think her feelings for Lord Nicholas are far more than friendship, but she's wondering why she hasn't seen him since the wedding... I just don't want her to wait as long as we did for love."

"She won't," he said confidently as they paused in front of their bedroom doors and he turned to squeeze her hands. "If what I heard from my sources was correct, Nicholas didn't set her up at the lake."

"He didn't?" it was an explanation she hadn't heard.

"No, he didn't...but that's another story for another time... and I suspect that he was also developing feelings for her... and it won't be long before they find each other again."

"I hope you're right, his wife said with a worried pucker in her brow and he nodded with a further, firm squeeze.

"I am... you know I usually am!"

0

Ten minutes later, they were heading back downstairs, shoeless and having fathered a few things for the beach (towels, books, an umbrella), Joseph clad in a black shirt and black shorts that doubled as his swimming shorts while Clarisse was wearing a white button down cotton shirt and three quarter white pants.

Joseph had been momentarily disappointed when she had first stepped out of the bathroom (she was still modest about her body even after after the past two evenings) but he couldn't help but grin to himself when, as he leant over to put his pyjama bottoms underneath his pillow, he caught a glimpse of navy blue underneath her shirt she DID bring a bathing suit with her!

Once they were down at the beach, Joseph and one of the other bodyguards having stretched two deck chairs out onto the sand, Joseph remained standing and stretched.

"I think I might go for a short job along the beach... would you care to join me?"

"I don't think so, darling," Clarisse said apologetically as she stretched out on the deck chair and slipped on her sunglasses- something Phillipe introduced her to as Rupert had preferred only glasses for reading. "I'm happy to stay here and read."

"A couple of the boys will be patrolling the property so they'll be able to see you," he frowned, not wanting to leave her yet wanting to maintain his exercise regime, not only because it was a routine he enjoyed, but also... he didn't want to let Clarisse down, a ridiculous notion, he knew, as she had fallen in love with his inner qualities rather than his exterior, yet... there was a small, very masculine part of him that didn't want his physical appearance, if he didn't exercise, to turn her off...

"I'll be fine,"she reassured him with asmile, not surprised at his reluctance to go but puzzled at the expression in his eyes. "Enjoy your jog."

He felt better, more refreshed when he returned twenty minutes later- he always did, exercise was a good relief for him- before discovering that Clarisse hadn't moved at all from her chair, except to remove her pants and he almost froze when he saw her long lets stretched out on the chair, one leg bent up at the knee. Her legs had always been good, especially after years of dancing, but now, seeing them so exposed and not in the cover of darkness, he couldn't resist running a slow, seductive hand up her bent leg, pausing mid thigh to sit down on the edge of the seat, Clarisse watching every move over the top of her sunglasses.

"Have a good run?" she inquired before he leant over and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Pretty good, I didn't realize how much I missed exercising."

"Oh, bored with me already?" she pouted playfully as he stood up and stretched his arms skyward.

"No," he laughed before peeling off his t-shirt and tossing it into the sand next to his chair, not missing the lighting up of her expression, her eyes darkening slightly. "I've always enjoyed exercise... not only to keep fit for my job..." he paused for a fraction of an instant. "...But, asides from enjoying it, I have to maintain my good looks for you," he added hastily, turning away to spread his towel on his deckchair, about to lie down, before he felt her gently touch his shoulder and he turned to see Clarisse looking up at him in surprise and a little hurt.

"Do you really think I put your physical attributes before anything else?" she asked sadly.

"No... but... well, I'm really only just a bodyguard and..."

"You are not just a bodyguard, you never have been," she said fervently, squeezing his hand tightly within her own. "You're my best friend and I love your intelligence, your sense of humour, your seriousness and your dedication before anything else... you ARE a handsome man, there's no doubt about that, but I don't love you primarily for your looks... and I don't want you to EVER feel you need to maintain your looks because of that..." before she leaned over and kissed him fiercely.

"You're quite passiontate and tenacious when you want to be, aren't you?" he teased almost gruffly, trying to hide the fact her denial had touched him.

"Yes, you should know that about me by now, especially when it's about something I really care about."  
>"That's what I love most about you," he admitted and she kissed him lightly again.<p>

"I love you too..."

000

They spent much of the morning on the beach, stretched out on their chairs reading, and occasionally talking about menial subjects, and it was almost lunchtime when Joseph stood, stretched and turned to his wife with a meaningful smile.

"How about a swim before we head inside for lunch?"

"What happens after lunch?" she responded flirtatiously.

"Whatever we want... television, a nap...but what about NOW? What about a swim? We are at the beach, you know."

"Alright," she agreed amenably, standing and also stretching before slipping off her white shirt and he caught a glimpse of her enticing figure, looking fabulous in her one piece, before she smiled impishly at him and almost streaked down to the waterline.

"I...I had forgotten how fit and fast you still are!" he gasped a little breathlesly once he splashed into the sea next to her. "This just proves that there are two sides to you, Clarisse Renaldi..."

"Clarisse Renaldi Bonnell..." she corrected him, looking just as sexy wet through as when she was dressed up formally, and he couldn't help but splash through the water to kiss her.

"Exactly... Mrs Bonnell..." and she blushed almost joyfully at the sound of her new name- it sounded so much better than Her Majesty...

"However, you are far more fit than I am," she contradicted him seconds later as they floated easily in the calm sea, an occasional small wave bobbing them up and down. "I only walked and rode occasonally... I spent a lot of my time behind my desk or in parliament..."

"Nevertheless, you are still in very good shape for..."

"An older woman?" she arched an eyebrow and splashed some water in his direction.

"I wasn't going to say that... I WAS going to say... a woman who had too many responsibilities but is still young enough to have some fun..."

"Nice save," she murmured before floating towards him and wrapping her arms around his neck as he did the same around her waist, feeling unexpectedly seductive- she didn't know why, but she was coming to the realization that maybe being away from the palace was doing wonders for them, bringing them closer...

"So, when does the fun begin?" she added teasingly and he chuckled as he kissed her again and slowly begin making his way back towards the shore... their swimming would have to wait until later...

"Oh, you never know, Mrs Bonnell... you never know..."


	10. A Very Late Lunch

_A/N: Getting to the confessions part, but I've had some writers block... am working through it, though!_

_Thanks to all my readers and reviewers!_

_The PD doesn't belong to me!_

"So when are we having lunch?" Clarisse inquired much later as she rose from the bed, wrapped herself in her robe and stretched languidly, well aware she wasn't wearing anything underneath the thin material AND that it was the middle of the day but, for once, she didn't care about the inappropriateness of the timing or location...for once, in a very, very long time, she felt free and surprisingly uninhibited, as if she finally realized her life was her own again...

"I know it's well into the afternoon..."

"It's just after two," he confirmed, glancing at the digital clock sitting on the bedside table before he too got up and strolled towards the cupboard, smiling at the pile of wet clothes- their bathing suits and abandoned clothes they had managed to pick up between kisses on their way inside- in the middle of the floor as he passed.

"How does an omlette sound to you?"

"Fine," she agreed as she slipped into her underclothing, followed by a simple blue silk dress that matched the colour of her eyes. "It sounds delicious," she looked up and couldn't help but blush at the approving look he was giving her dress. "Does this meet with your approval?"

"You know it does... you have always had a wonderful sense of style and your wardrobe reflects that."

"I DID have quite a bit of help in the beginning!" she pointed out with a chuckle as she ran a brush through her still damp hair.

"Be that as it may, you've always looked stunning... most especially since you've stopped wearing black," he said seriously as he watched her arrange their wet swimsuits on the chair out on their small balcony. "I know you were in mourning for two of the most important people in your life..."

"What you said that afternoon at the consulate...about how I had worn black for far too long... that was the push I needed to revamp my wardrobe again," she paused in smoothing and straightening their bed sheets, Joseph doing the same on his side, to look at him honestly. "It doesn't mean that I don't mourn Phillipe any less..."

"Of course not," he said quickly.

"Or Rupert, in his way... but meeting Mia and your... words reminded me that I was still alive and that life does move on and so could I... that, and black makes women my age look so much older!" she chuckled, lightening the moment but Joseph was still moved and slightly concerned at her confession- surely he hadn't influenced her that much then?

"What? What's wrong?" she asked, seeing the odd expression on his face.

"Nothing... I just can't believe that I had that much influence over you at that time... it seems a little inappropriate for a Queen to be told what to wear by her bodyguard..."

"Her Head of Security and best friend," Clarisse corrected. "It was perfect timing, it was time for me to move on."

"Still, I could hardly have been that influential..."

"But you were," she said softly, moving over to stand in front of him and cup his cheek in her hand. "You always have had that type of pull with me, you made me feel (and continue to do so) so much better about myself, you have been my rock for so long...actually, I have a little secret to confess..."

"Oh?"

"After that afternoon... and maybe some time before that... I used to... dress for you," she finished in a whisper.

"You... dressed for me?" he looked confused.

"Well, I still do and I always will... just your expression whenever I emerged from my suite in a ball gown or a designer outfit made it all worth it... your approval meant everything to me... you made me feel beautiful."

"That's because you are," she declared before he kissed her.

"The way you view me..." she began.

"Is the way I want to view you and that's not going to change- EVER," he said the last word with such vehemenced that Clarisse was instantly reassured.

"Good," she murmured before, almost simultaneously, their stomachs rumbled and they both laughed.

"But lunch first!" he chivvied her out of the room, down the stairs and onto a chair at the kitchen counter before gathering the necessary equipment and ingredients for omlettes.

"By the way,I have an idea of something else we can do while we're here."

"Oh, what?"

"Cooking!"

"Cooking?"Clarisse wrinkled her nose in confusion. "I thought we were doing that at mealtimes..."

"No, I was thinking more like... cooking lessons."

"Cooking lessons?" she continued to look confused before a flash of understanding crossed her face and she looked mortified. "Oh...is this about the toast? I AM sorry..."

"It's not about the toast," he rushed in quickly. "As I said before, the toast was fine... I was just thinking that... it might be nice if we prepared some of our meals together."

"And you think I need LESSONS to help you?" her voice and expression hardened- she couldn't help but feel offended and mildly insulted at Joseph's suggestion.

"No, no, no!" he cried hastily, sensing she was offended. "I was teasing about serious lessons, I'm sure you know your way around the kitchen..."

"We both know that's not true," she said darkly. "I only know my way aorund the palace kitchen and that's because I did so many cup of tea runs at midngith. I am NOT the domestic type and maybe it would be better if we kept it like that," she finished defiantly.

"But we both know you have the potential," he smoothly strode over and rested his handon top of hers for a moment, squeezing it reassuringly before moving back to the stove.

"Clarisse, I didn't mean to offend you about cooking lessons... I just thought it might be nice to do this..." he waved his hand around the kitchen. "... together...we're not the typical newlywed couple and we won't be a typical married couple either, but there are some aspects we can enjoy now and, hopefully, in the future, and I thought that cooking together could be one of them..."he trailed off as he focused on his omlettes and Clarisse watched him thoughtfully for a moment before sliding down off her chair.

"I'll set the table... and then I'll make a salad," she volunteered and they exchanged a smile before she proceeded to do what she said she was going to do.

It was only when they were sitting down to a very late lunch when Joseph continued his apologizing.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insinuate that you needed lessons..."

"It's alright," she smiled at him. "I suppose a few lessons might come in handy, I know I've never really done any of that in my life..."

"Although you did make good chicken soup for the boys when they were sick," she reminded her. "I can remember how much they both liked it."

"My grandmother's recipe... fortunately (or unfortunately if you want to look it at that way), the recipe wasn't needed that often."

"Maybe you could make it for us..." he suggested quietly and she shrugged casually, although the idea did appeal to her, even if just to demonstrate she DID have some culinary skills, although the soup would also bring back memories of the boys... initial complaints when they had their medicine, and then silence as they literally devoured bowl after bowl of the soup.

Rupert had never understood her desire to look after them- 'you are a Queen and they have nannies!" but she HAD to do it, she was their mother and the maternal instinct ran deep...All that mattered was that she did it for them and they appreciated the effort...

She was lost in her memories before she realized that Joseph, from what seemed like a distance, was calling her name.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, instantly coming out of her reverie. "I was just thinking..."

"About what?"

"About how much the boys loved my soup- they complained at first, but then they proceeded to devour it," she smiled nostalgically.

"You know the saying- the way to a man's heart is through his stomach... but you didn't have to worry about winning that with them, they adored you..."

"I know... I just miss them... I didn't get a chance to speak to Pierre at the wedding..."

He had arrived the day of the wedding and had been sitting behind her at the church, but the ensuing chaos after Mia had changed her mind, Clarisse had barely had a second to herself.

"He is pleased for us," Joseph said hastily. "He wanted you to know that AND that you don't need to worry about him not being around, I think he's planning on staying around until the coronation..." before he paused- Pierre had another surprise but Joseph didn't want to spoil it for mother or son.

"I'm glad... and Phillipe..." she stopped abruptly, the ache in her heart suddenly throbbing painfully, even after five years and the arrival of Mia in her life, it still hurt so much. "Do you think he would be happy about us?" her voice trembled and he reached over to squeeze her hand.

"You know he would be, one hundred percent, and I'm more than certain that he would have tried to be my best man rather than Sebastian!"

"He was always trying to matchmake," she reflected with a smile. "Even before his father passed... I always told him that I took my marriage vows seriously and I respected his father... but he never took any notice of me."

"I noticed that too, but he adored you and that's why he did what he did...Both your boys are terrific and that's because of you," he stated firmly- he had always believed that and had always wanted to tell her but hadn't for fear of overstepping the mark.

"That's very sweet," she smiled vaguely.

"It's the truth," he replied bluntly.

"Rupert did love them, in his own way," she felt the strong urge to defend her first husband, which made some sense to him- they HAD been married for nearly forty years and he had been the father of her sons.

"He did," he agreed, not wanting to press the point but he had always thought Rupert hadn't appreciated his wife or sons as he should have and all that he had really cared about was his work and Genovia.

He wasn't going to say that to Clarisse, however, she already knew what his faults had been more than Joseph did but he had been the father of her children.

They ate in silence for a time, enjoying the comfortable silence and sound of the ocean outside, before Clarisse spoke up again.

"If I was ever to attempt this soup again, I'll have to remember the recipe and I'm not sure whether the pantry has all the ingredient," she said thoughtfully.

"The kitchen is fairly well stocked for most occasions, but if there is anything we need, we can always send one of the boys out to fetch it."

"Joseph!" Clarisse looked mildly scandalized. "They are NOT delivery boys... what would you have said if someone had asked you to go out and pick up something from a supermarket?"

"I can see your point," he grimaced. "But still, I'm sure they would do a small favour for us..." he looked at her wheedingly- after thinking about it, he WANTED her to make it, not only to increase her confidence in the kitchen but also just to taste it... it had always smelled so good but he hadn't dared to ask for a taste...

"Alright, alright!" she laughed. "I''ll try and remember the recipe and I will try and make it tomorrow...and if we need anything, you can send one of the guys out to get what we need!" and, despite her protests and hesitations, she was actually looking forward to this...


	11. Confessions Part Two

_A/N: Here's some of the drama I've been promising you!_

_Thanks to all my readers and reviewers for being patient with me and my lengthy gaps between updates... I am trying!_

_The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!_

It was almost midnight when they finally headed to bed, relaxed and content, although Clarisse was rather quiet and withdrawn but Joseph hadn't yet noticed the change- he was pleased about how the honeymoon was going and how Clarisse was relaxing and opening up and not worrying about her duties or Mia... this trip really had been good for them and today had been perfect...

Once they had finished their very late lunch, the afternoon was more than half over so, instead of heading back outside to the beach, Joe and Clarisse opted to curl up in front of the television, Clarisse again joking that "this is something Queens aren't supposed to do!"

"Nonsense," Joseph had retorted. "Im sure that many members of the royal families in Europe have time off to unwind, go skiing, visit their country estate, ride horses... why should you be any different?"

"Rupert would have preferred to work rather than watch television or spend time at the beach- we practically had to drag him to the Winter Palace at Christmas," she said bitterly, settling herself on the sofa so that her head was resting in his lap, a move that made the Queen side of her rail about the inappropriateness of it before the newly married side of her overruled any inner protests.

"Rupert was who he was and there's nothing we could have done to change that," Joseph said calmly, stroking her hair and enjoying the intimate moment. "I'm sure he did like to relax on occasion- didn't he and a few of his friends go hunting occasionally?"

"Maybe so, but he almost always preferred working to anything else."

"Either way, we can't change who he was and you can't allow the memory of him hang around and haunt our relationship."

"You're right..." she agreed but wasn't inclined to say anything more- he had known just as much about her marriage as she had- before she turned her attetnion to the screen.

As it turned out, there was a 'Star Wars' marathon on television which Clarisse, knowing Joseph's fascination with space and science fiction, insisted they watch, and it was well after nine when they had a dinner of toasted sandwiches.

"Tomorrow we'll have a proper meal," he promised as they reached the bedroom. "And... you're going to cook your famous chicken soup for lunch."

"Mmmm," his wife hummed non commitally as she stepped into the bathroom to brush her teeth- she had showered earlier and she and Joseph (or rather Joseph had insisted) agreed that she would use the bathroom first- their first major decision as a married couple, she thougt with a tiny smile before her mind drifted back to what she had been mulling over for the past couple of hours...

Today had been a day she would never forget, a day where they did very little but enjoyed every minuteof it, but it reminded her that the week was going by so fast and they would soon have to return to the palace... not that she didn't want to, she was very proud of Mia and wanted to support her, but she and Joseph had had so very little time alone and today had made her realixe she would always regret not making their relationship official a lot earlier... Joseph had pushed her but she hadn't been ready...

So many regrets, so many missed opportunities, so many mistakes before she suddenly remembered Joseph was waiting to use the bathroom...

Joseph was surprised when he emerged from his shower twenty minutes after that to discover Clarisse hadn't waited up fr him to show off her latest night apparel but, instead, was already curled up in bed, facing the window.

"Clarisse... are you awake?" he asked in a whisper as he climbed in next to her and noted that her newest nightgown was practically backless- gosh that woman had taste and her feminine side was clearly being given the chance to emerge...

"Yes," she said abruptly, surprising Joseph and instantly making him wonder what was wrong.

"What's wrong?" he asked, leaning over and resting his hand on her back, Clarisse immediately stifffening and pulling away, confirming his suspicions.

"There's nothing wrong," she said quickly, immediately, only heightening her husband's concerns.

"I don't think so... Clarisse, sweetheart, please talk to me."

"I'm fine," she murmured, pulling away and inching closer to the edge of the bed. "I'm just tired."

"We shouldn't have stayed up to watch all those movies," he was instantly contrite, making her feel guilty.

"It was fine and I'm fine," she repeated, feeling him lie down next to her and he lay on his back, wondering what was bothering her.

"I don't believe you," he finally said bluntly. "You accuse Charlotte of being a terrible liar but you are just as bad."

"Thank you, I appreciate that from you, I know you're so called expert on Clarisse Renaldi and her feelings," she said icily, surprising Joseph even more- he had meant it as a joke.

"That's not true... it was only a joke!"

"It didn't sound like it," she sounded insulted and there was a long silence between them, both of them mulling over the mini argument- their first as husband and wife- before Joseph tried again.

"Please talk to me, Clarisse... I'm still the same Joseph, your best friend and the man who truly cares about you... whatever it is that's bothering you, I'm sure it's nothing and we can sort it out..."

Clarisse had just been about to relax back into him, touched by his words and the tenderness behind them, ready to tell him everything, but the last words he uttered, said so seemingly dismissively, riled her up again and she pulled herself even further away from him and edged even closer to the edge of the bed.

"Fine!" he said heavily, thoroughly defeated and more than a little annoyed at her behaviour, puzzled at the sudden mood swing- she hadn't been like this before the wedding.

"If you want to talk about what's bothering you, I'm here...but, if not, I'll see you in the morning... But may I remind you that you're are NOT the only one in this marriage and whatever bothers you bothers me..." before he relaxed back on his pillows, determined to wait it out and make Clarisse talk first.

Clarisse had had the controlling hand in their relationship for a long time, and he had allowed it, but now it was time for her to share and realize that there were two in their marriage and they both had an equal say in their relationship.

This time the silence lasted so long that he began to worry that she had fallen asleep or was about to go into another bedroom before he heard a soft sigh and felt her move so that she too was lying on her back, staring at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wreck our honeymoon..."

"You didn't wreck our honeymoon," he interrupted her tersely. "Married couples have disgreements from time to time... but I am puzzled as to why you're in such an awful mood now as compared to this afternoon... unless you are still concerned about Rupert...I don't know why, he has been gone for over six years."

"It's not about Rupert!" she snapped. "I'm sorry," she sighed again, this time sounding much more repetent. "I WAS slightly depressed about our discussion this afternoon, but it wasn't until an hour or two before that I realized something..."

"What?"

"Today has been so perfect, so deliciously indolent, it was painful to remember that there is only four more days, three nights until we have to return to the palace and the duties I've spent a lifetime trying to break free of..."  
>Joseph lay there quietly, not daring to move, enthralled at her words- she HAD annoyed him before, but now that she was confessing as to why she had been down before, he was listening intently.<p>

"I'm not saying that I don't want to be there to support Mia and help her but... the past two days have shown me that life can be far more pleasant when I'm not Queen and not in the spotlight... I know Mia needs me and I will never let her down, but our honeymoon has shown me that I want more than the palace life... I want you and I to be able to develop and explore our relationship as a married couple, albiet an unusual one, and I want to spend my... our... retirement years enjoying ourselves..."

She paused for a moment, a little embarrassed at having said anything but not wanting to go to sleep angry, a practic Rupert never had embraced.

"Have you ever had any regrets, Joseph?" she asked suddenly, her tone sad.

"Is this what has been bothering you for the past couple of hours, regrets?" he sounded sharper than he had intended.

"Regrets?" he repeated, his tone irritated yet softer than before. "After the past few days, after our wedding... why would you even think about regrets?"

"I couldn't help it," she retorted sharply. "I know it doesn't make any sense, but I do have regrets, especially about us and our relationship... haven't you?" she asked pointedly and he realized she was referring to the night, two days prior to the wedding, that he had walked out on her, not giving her the chance to explain WHY she had to put their future on hold. Tonight, after they day they had enjoyed, was hardly the most appropriate time to discuss this but since Clarisse was in a mood, it had to be discussed sometime...

"Are you referring to that night in the ballroom?"

"What do you think?" her tone was sarcastic yet anxious.

"Yes, I do regret walking out on you that night and I will always feel guilty for doing that, you never had the chance to explain... but I also felt that I had to get out of there before I said something that I would have regretted."

"So you just decided to walk?" she sounded angry. "Do you have ANY idea bow that made me feel?" she asked and he instantly sat up in bed and glared down at her- three days in and they were already having their first argument and over that night he left her...

"Do YOU have any idea how I felt when you pulled away from me when we were dancing to say no?"

"It wasn't no..."

"I wasn't to know that...!"

"It WASN'T, it was only... I wanted to marry you so much, Joseph, but we needed to wait until Mia was settled on the throne... I was waiting for the right moment to tell you and the right words to say, but it didn't work out that way..." she trailed off with a sigh and there was yet another pause between them before Clarisse rolled onto her side to face him and Joseph immediately noticed out of the corner of his eye as he stared at the ceiling that tonight's lingerie was even skimpier than the previous nights.

"Joseph?" she whispered timidly.

"Mmm?" his eyes remained fixed on the ceiling.

"I AM sorry I didn't tell you exactly what I was feeling tonight or that night... I wanted to, so much... two weeks didn't make it any easier for me...but the look on your face..."

She paused, inwardly shuddering as she recalled the hopeful expression on his face and the tone in his voice as he asked "have you been thinking about us?"; and then the way his expression froze when she had tried to say the words she had planned but the words had somehow gotten choked up in her throat.

"I couldn't bear to crush your hopes and your dreams... and then when you misinterpreted what I was going to say..." she choked up and he saw the glimmer of a tear streak down her cheek. "I would never deliberately hurt you, darling, and I hadn't meant to then either... I know it must have felt like forever when I hadn't given you an answer straight away...and as for my regrets about our honeymoon being almost half over, I'm sorry... I just wish we had more time..."

"We DO have more time," he said quietly, turning to face her. "Our honeymoon might not last forever but we are legally, officially married and we have all the time in the world to do what we want and go where we want... all that matters is that we're together and I will never leave you..."

"I'm sorry tood, most especially about that night... I thought you didn't want to be with me and didn't know how to tell me... I was afraid you didn't love me as much as I love you," he finished in a whisper.

"Oh never, never, never!" she cried, leaning over and kissing him fervently on the mouth. "That will never happen- you saved me from despair and were there for me when I really needed you... we have an emotional connection that surpasses anything else I've ever experienced, and I really fell in love with you for the first time because of you... you are the love of my life, Joseph and the thought of losing you that night... it was almost more than I could bear."

"I love you too," he said finally, shifting over and wrapping an arm around her. "I don't think I would have seriously left the palace after the coronation..."

"WHAT?" Clarisse gasped as she sat up and looked down at him in horror. "You were going to LEAVE?" and Joseph realized that she hadn't know about his retirement plans, hadn't read his letter of resignation and that he hadn't told her... until now...

"Joseph?" she looked at him with a mixture of anger and sadness and he knew he had to tell her...


	12. Shades' Interference

_A/N: Got a chapter up faster than I've been doing for the past couple of chapters... drama alert!_

_Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you all rock!  
>The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!<em>

"Joseph?" she repeated, her expression sad but anger still lurking in her eyes. "Do you want to tell me what you just meant about 'not seriously leaving' the palace?"

Joseph sighed- she obviously hadn't got his letter of resignation (although, to be fair, he had placed it on her desk when she was away from it and it could have disappeared amongst the massive piles of paperwork Clarisse dealt with on a daily basis) but now she though he would have left without telling her...

In retrospect, he had been angry and disappointed when he had written that letter but he knew he wouldn't have left Clarisse even if his heart and head had told him to- he loved her far too much to leave her, even if their relationship had been over. He would have tried everything in his power to get back in her good books, even if it had taken him the rest of his life.

"Joseph?" she said for a third time, her eyes sparkling dangerously and he hastily sat up and leant on his pillows- it would never do if she had to repeat herself again, she had already waited long enough- and looked her in the eye.

"Alright, I did write a resignation letter and I left it on your desk, but I can explain...

00000

**Several Mornings earlier...**

After a restless night roaming the palace grounds, avoiding any places he could be seen, and downing several Scotches in his room, he was up and already in the security room at six, waiting impatiently for the rest of the team to gather for their early morning meeting.

The royal wedding was less than two days away and despite his own personal crisis, he wanted the Queen and the Princess well protected. Joseph was spearheading the entire plan and had arranged for Scott and two of his offsiders to protect the two women at the wedding and reception while he would remain in the security room or patrolling the grounds- he had no desire to be anywhere near Cl... Her Majesty or Amelia at the moment, even thought the Princess had nothing to do with what had happened last night.

He was painfully aware of Scott watching him for the entire half hour meeting but it wasn't until the room had cleared as the men when for breakfast and they were alone that Joseph turned to the younger man and almost snarled: "What?"

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I just want to make sure everything goes smoothly for the next couple of days- we have a lot of guests coming..."

"Okay, spill," Shades said as he leant against the table before he noticed a plain white envelope sitting in front of Joseph. "Hey... what's that?"

"Nothing," Joseph snatched it away and buried it in his black diary before he noticed that Shades was looking at him with an eyebrow raised. "Alright, it's a letter and it's personal."

"Something personal addressed to Her Majesty?"

"It's nothing..."

"Sure..." the younger man jeered.

"Fine," Joseph's tenuous grip on his patience snapped. "It IS a letter for Her Majesty... and, before you ask, it's a letter of resignation."

"A letter of... resignation?" Shades sputtered, clearly shocked. "But... but why?"

"It's simply time for me to retire and move on... you've been my second in command for so long, it's time for you to step up and do my job... you're ready."

"But where will you go?"

"Anywhere I want," Joe shrugged nonchalantly, hoping to convince him, but as he glanced at Shades, he notced Shades regarding him with narrowed eyes. "What now? Stop staring at me!" he snapped.

"What happened Joe?" Scott asked in a softer voice, not moving away from the table, his eyes still on Joseph's and there was a long, long silence before Joseph's expression softened and he sighed- he had to tell someone...and Scott wouldn't say anything...

"Well... a couple of weeks ago, I suggested to Her Majesty... Clarisse," he almost choked on her name. "...That maybe it was time for us to bring... our friendship out of the shadows... she asked for some time to think about it... well, tonight I got my answer," he finished simply as he looked away and put away his papers from the earlier meeting and hoped that it would be the end of it- he wasn't in the mood to discuss this at all- but when the older man finally looked back up at him, Sahdes was still watching him, now with an expression of sympathy on his face, clearly stunned at his news.

"Oh Joe... mate..." was all he could say before he realized that his words weren't helping his friend. "What exactly did she say?"

"Something about her responsibilities to her country and Mia..."

"You knew that the Princess has to be a top priority at the moment, as does Genovia," Shades chided him reproachfully. "What else did she say?"

"Well..." Joseph looked slightly ashamed of himself now. "I told her I saw her as the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with but if she didn't feel that, I would only see her as the Queen and then... I left."

"I see," the younger man said quietly, and there was another long, slightly awkward silence before Joseph, feeling as though Shades was judging him through his silence, turned on him again, his eyes blazing.

"Well? Do you have any good advice for me, seeing as you're the expert on women?"

"I'm not an expert on women...yes, I know I bragged about it, but you know what guys are like... and I don't have any advice about this... although I am going to say something, something I probably will end up regretting, but since you're retiring anyway, I don't need to worry about you firing me... but Joe, you are a complete and utter heartless jerk!"

"Excuse me?" the older man looked as though he had been stung.

"You ARE a jerk, for a number of reasons- you walk out on the woman you supposedly want to marry without allowing her to give you an explanation- and you have no idea what she was going to say; secondly, you take the cowards way out and leave your letter of resignation on her DESK rather than actually talking to her; and thirdly, how much pressure did you put on the woman? She IS trying to run a country and look after her granddaughter... surely you could have waited until after the coronation?"

"You are talking a load of nonsense!" Joe blustered, although the twinge of guilt he had been feeling since the evening before was twinging painfully, and the feeling of guilt and shame was growing stronger by the hour.

"I am NOT talking nonsense," the younger man said bravely, knowing that most other men wouldn't stand up to Joe like that, he was ferocious when he lost his cool (which was rare), but he knew that it was important for him to do this now, for both of them, otherwise Joseph would leave with regrets. "...And we both know that- you didn't give her the opportunity to explain herself last night and now you are running away... I thought you were an honourable and decent man, a gentleman, but if you leave without talking to her, without listening to her reasons, I am going to be so disgusted and disappointed in you."

"Really?" Joseph sneered sarcastically and Scott nodded, looking defiant.

"Really... and I know you are not that type of man."

"It's easier this way, if I leave after the coronation and we don't speak," Joseph said quietly, looking determined. "She will have her hands full helping Mia and I suspect Mia will need her for quite a long time... she doesn't need me."

"Then you are a fool, Joe, a complete fool... she's going to support the Princess when she's Queen, that's what her job is and what a grandmother should do, but who's going to support HER? She loves YOU and needs YOU to help her... I think you are crazy for even considering leaving her without a word..." before he paused, his voice and expression softening with his next words.

"However, I am sorry for how you're feeling but I'm quite sure that she does want to be with you... you simply have to be patient and wait a little while longer... I'm sure you can, after all you've waited for her for a long time..."

"I'm sure she wants to be with me... sure," he said bitterly, his own pain suddenly rearing his head again and overruling any guilt he was feeling toward Clarisse. "Anyway, I think we both have work to do," he gave his second in command a pointed look before striding towards the nearest monito and Shades took the hint, joining him at the monitors and feeling incredibly sorry for Her Majesty and Joseph, Her Majesty especially when she received that letter...

00000

There was a long silence after he finished his tale, Clarisse still frozen in her sitting up position, absorbing his words, before he added hastily:

"Of course, in retrospect, I wouldn't have left... I couldn't have left you, even if I should have... I was just angry and hurt..."

"I need some time to process this," she said in a subdued voice as she climbed out of bed and reached for her silk robe.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going on one of my midnight cup of tea runs... I'll be in the kitchen."

Downstairs in the kitchen, she put the jug onto boil and set up the mug and a teabag on the counter in front of it- it wasn't much point having a teapot for one- before she stood in front of the locked french doors and stared out into the blackness of the night, Joseph's words still ringing in her ears.

He was going to resign... or, rather, he had resigned after the night in the ballroom, when he had pressed her for an answer to his proposal...he had been planningon leaving her and not coming back... and he hadn't even had the courage to tell her himself, rather opting to leave a letter on her desk, a letter she probably wouldn't have found until he was long gone... she never would have thought he would have been capable of that, something so cold and so inpersonal...

But Scott had leapt to her defence, accused Joseph of being heartless and a jerk... he had been all of those and she appreciated Scott for telling him off, but she too had been cruel... she hadn't given him an answer straight away, she hadn't followed him out of the ballroom, she hadn't said yest... maybe, if she really thought about it, she shouldn't have fallen in love with him and let him love her back... she should have let him go and have a life of his own...without her...

Meanwhile, back upstairs, Joseph was severely tempted to get out of bed and follow her, but experience had taught him that when she said she needed space, she needed to be left alone. He knew he should have given her that letter of resignation in person or, better yet, waited until the wedding and coronation were over before broaching her about the status of their relationship... he had been so desperate to make Clarisse officially commit to him that he had failed to take into account the other commitments in her life- Mia, Genovia- or even consider that she WAS committed to him as much as she was able at that time of her life. He had been a fool to push her so hard, to walk out on her without giving her a chance to explain...

Hopefully this wouldn't affect their marriage- he had waited so long for her, he didn't want their relationship ruined by selfishness and rash moves...

Just then, he heard soft footsteps on the stairs and he looked up to see Clarisse stepping into the bedroom, carrying two mugs of tea.

"It seemed simpler than setting up a tray with cups, saucers and teapot," she explained as she handed him his mug and sat down on the edge of the bed, sipping her tea quickly and seeming not inviting any conversation until she said, softly:

"We can't let this affect our marriage..."

"I know, I don't want that either... Clarisse, I am so sorry for not giving you the chance to explain WHY you couldn't marry me then, although the reasons made perfect sense... and as for the letter..."

"I should have given you an answer long before then... maybe I should never have allowed you to love me... it was selfish and it prevented you from having a life of your own... I was so self centred..."

"No!" Joseph cried, setting his mug down on his bedside table, alarmed at the way this conversation was progressing- it seemed as if her regrets were multiplying as the evening progressed.

"No, no, no! You did not make me love you and you and I were meant to be together... I cannot imagine being with anyone but you... and I should have realized how much pressure you were under when I asked you..."

"I wanted you to do that more than anything else in the world, but it was poor timing..."

"Indeed it was... not one of my best moves."

"In retrospect, I could have said yes and we could have made it official afterwards... I'm not ashamed of my relationship with you and I never have been, so I hope you never thought that..."

"Maybe I did, a little," he admitted.

"I just don't know why I didn't tell you that I didn't want to marry you... I just froze..."

"Mia was getting married in two days and parliament wanted to make sure it happened, Viscount Mabrey was trying to force Lord Nicholas onto the throne... you had so much going on, any other woman would have cracked under the pressure, but not you... you always have been an extraordinary woman," he reached over and took her free hand in his, lifting it to his lips. "Your ability not to crack under pressure is a quality I've always admired in you..."

"It gets so hard though," she said in almost a whisper and he kissed her hand again.

"I know, I know, but I hope that I can help you with those burdens now."

"You can," she looked at him with a shy smile. "You're an extraordinary man, especially after spending half of your life following me around and protecting me."

"I wanted to."

"I loved that you did and I loved you protecting me... in a lot of ways, you were more like a husband than Rupert in those respects...as for before, with regrets about how fast the week is going, I'm sorry... I'm just enjoying myself so much and I feel so free..."

"It's alright, the time does seem to be flying past, but all that matters, as I said before, is that we're together... I know I'm not going to be anywhere but at your side when we get back..."

"That's where I'm insisting you will remain... yes, all that matters is that we're together... and that I'm making my chicken soup tomorrow," she said triumphantly and he chuckled before she leaned over and their lips met...

They had had their first disgreement two days after the wedding and they had passed it with almost flying colours... there were things they still needed to discuss, but they could do it over the next few days... and they were on the same page in terms of their relationship and their life together...Joseph was right- all that mattered was that they were together...


	13. A Thunder Storm

_A/N: I'm back and this is definitely a longer, much more emotional chapter... but there are still postives about it!_

_Thanks to all my readers and reviewers!_

_The PD don't belong to me!_

The next morning, Clarisse was a little worried about meeting Joseph's eyes when she first woke up and adjusted to her surroundings- last night had been incredibly emotional for both of them, a sore subject had been remembered and discussed (and probably would be talked about again soon) and there had been some type of resolution between them, but still...

But she neededn't have worried as, after she watched him bring their breakfast tea tray in, their eyes had met and held for a moment and she saw no anger or condemnation in his eyes, but, instead, the same love and tenderness she had seen for the past couple of days since the wedding and, prior to their mini crisis in the ballroom that they were still working their way through, had seen for many years previously.

Joseph saw the wary and nervous expression on her face after he had set the tray down, and knew that she too was thinking about the previous evening- he had been worried about how he could face her, given his tale, but an instant later, her face relaxed into the same familiar, dazzling smile he had loved for so long.

"Good morning my dear," he said cheerfully after he had set the tray down on his table and leant over to kiss her lightly on the forehead. "I see your... nightgown survived the night," he added teasingly as he surveyed the skimpy lingerie she was still wearing and she blushed, fully comprehending his meaning.

"No through any fault of it's own," she retored half impishly half defiantly, a sly twinkle creeping into her eyes.  
>"Will you be continuing to wear those outfits when we return to the palace?"<p>

"Maybe...we'll have to see..." she replied coyly before pausing, the teacup frozen midway to her mouth. "About last night..." she began before he rested a hand on top of his.

"We don't have to discuss this now... I can't believe Scott had the nerve to tell me off... although I did deserve it..."

"I can't believe it either," Clarisse said with a laugh- she too knew Joseph possessed a temper and it could be ferocious on occasion, although it had almost never been aimed directly at her. "He certainly is a brave man!"

"He definitely deserves the top job after that," he agreed, before looking seriously at Clarisse again. "Can you really forgive me for walking out that night? I don't think I can... considering someone else did it to you on more than one occasion."

"Of COURSE I can forgive you," Clarisse leaned over and ran her hand down his cheek. "You were just as hurt, confused and as unhappy as I was, if not more... can YOU forgive me for not giving you the answer you deserved and for making you wait?"

"There's nothing to forgive you for," he kissed her palm reassuringly. "You had so much on your mind then... I was selfish..."

"We're only selfish when it comes to love, and you deserve all the love in the world to be given to you..."

"And I am now receiving it in abundance," he responded before he leaned over and wrested her cup and saucer away, much to her mock indignation.

"Joseph, my cup of tea!"

"I'll make it up to you,"he promised as he leaned over and kissed her and then nothing else mattered...

0

It was mid morning when they finally came downstairs for a belated breakfast and Joseph couldn't help but joke: "We'll have to break this bad habit before we return to the palace, otherwise we're going to be gossiped about even more...although the staff wouldn't dare with me around," he suddenly looked fierce but Clarisse knew it wasn't aimed at her and she also knew that he wouldn't seriously threaten the staff- they had kept their secret for so long, their loyalty to the couple was assured.

"I'm more worried about what our granddaughter will say!" he almost growled and Clarisse smiled, knowing he didn't mind Mia's teasing- she was so much like Phillipe personality wise, it was hard not to have a soft spot for her and allow her to say almost whatever she wanted, although she was gradually filtered down what she was saying but Joe sincerely hoped she wouldn't end up completely filtering herself.

"I'm sure she'll be impertinent but we both know you love it," she teased, wandering towards the pantry as he cooked scrambled eggs and bacon for their breakfast. "You'll have to stop preparing meals like that otherwise I'm going to be rolling back into the palace!"

"Nonsense," he retorted. "I always thought you were on the slim side."

"Even after childbirth and age related weight gain?"

"Even then," he squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "So, are you looking for ingredients for your chicken soup?"

"Maybe... but I just remembered another recipe my grandmother taught me and I haven't done it for ages... it's a vegetable soup and it's delicious..."

She didn't want to say anything to hurt Joseph's feelings but she didn't really want to share that recipe with anyone- it was something between her and the boys, but Joseph was different...

"Whatever you want to do, I'll be happy," he said complacently, sensing she was somewhat possessive of the recipe, given that it was a rare experience she had shared with the boys, but he didn't mind- she really didn't have to cook if she didn't want to, he just thought it would be fun and allow them to strengthen their bond.

"In fact," he continued after he had served them and they were were sitting at the table. "I didn't want to push you into doing things you don't want to do and I realize cooking was something you didn't do too often..."

"I DO want to contribue... and I do want to help in the kitchen... it's just that the chicken soup is something I associate with the boys, an experience we shared... I want to share everything with you but..."

"I understand," he said quietly. "You don't need to share that with me... it's between you, Pierre and Phillipe."

"I will cook it for you, eventually... and I do want to make this soup for you... but can I be your assistant today?" she looked almost timid and he grinned broadly.

"Of course, a chef ALWAYS needs an assistant... but I must warn you that I can be quite demanding and intense in the kitchen," he looked at her mock haughtily and she laughed.

"I've known that about you for a long time, but not only in the kitchen- in your job, with your men... in your pursuit with me," she finished with a half coy, half shy smile as he pretended to look mock insulted. "But while it did scare me when I realized what you were doing... I also knew, deep down, that that intensity signified that you took me and our relationship seriously."

"I did, and I always will..." he leaned over and touched her hand with his. "You can never have any doubts about that..." before, glancng out towards the beach. "Anyway, I have a few ideas for dinner, but how about we spend a couple of hours on the beach?"

"Will you go jogging?"

"Yes... did you want to join me?" he teased.

"No, I think I'll be alright in my chair reading..." she gave him a sweet smile as he stood up to clear the table, Clarisse following suit, and he couldn't resist moving over to kiss her. "Unless you plan on bringing me inside earlier than planned?" she arched an eyebrow delicately at him and Joseph only looked mysterious.

"It depends on how irresistable you look in your swim suit," and she only chuckled- she didn't need to worry about his feelings for her... he adored her and the feeling was entirely mutual and she was glad that she finally had the opportunity to be able to show it openly and publicly, although not quite so publicly at the moment, she wanted to enjoy her marriage privately before exposing to the rest of the country, although THEIR marriage was entirely different to hers and Rupert's... soon she would no longer be Queen and there were aspects of her life that could remain in the shadows...

0

"I cannot believe how lazy I'm feeling," Clarisse said an hour later as she stretched languidly out on her beach chair, her long legs again capturing her husband's attention from his chair beside her "As Queen, I should disapprove of all of this," she waved her hand at herself and him. "Sunbathing, reading, jogging... generally leading an indolent life... but Mrs Bonnel, newlywed wife, has an opposing opinion to Her Majesty the Queen of Genovia..."

"Oh?"

"I personally think it's wonderful- I've never had this before and I'm loving every minute... I wish we could do this all the time, but I know it would get dull after while..."

"I'm glad you're enjoying these few days, it's not only your honeymoon but it's also a chance for you to relax, a good idea considering what happened in the past month..." he said sympathetically, feeling a twinge of guilt as he remembered the events since Mia had returned to Genovia- her 21st party, parliament's ultimatum, the search for a husband, HIS proposal, Andrew's proposal, planning the wedding, Viscount Mabrey's machinations to get Lord Nicholas on the throne, that night... and then the ramifications of that night- and the extraordinary pressure Clarisse had been under and under a number of different roles- as Queen, as a grandmother and as a woman...he again marvelled at how she had managed so much and had maintained such an outwardly calm, serene composure, but it just confirmed how truly extraordinary she was in her roles...

"What are you thinking about?" she asked softly, a look of concern on her face as she sat up.

"I was just thinking about how amazing you are..." he said honestly and she blushed as she looked down at her book. "So much has happened in the pas tmonth but you haven't missed a beat..."

"It was part of my own training... but I fear that I lost my beat after that night in the ballroom..."

"Thankfully it has all be sorted out... but you are truly are an amazing woman..."

"And you..." she leaned over to touch his hand. "...Are an amazing man... I just can't believe how happy I am, especially at my age... I never thought I would be..."

"Why? Just because we're over a certain age, it doesn't mean that we can't love, be loved and get married."

"Well, most couples our age have been married a lifetime and have spent their lives building a life together."

"We have done exactly the same, except we haven't been married but we know each other so much better than most newlyweds... besides, we've always been different to other couples and I like that... we're at the beginning of our life together and we get to enjoy everything that newlyweds enjoy- love, passion, fun..."

"You make it sound so lovely."

"It is and we're going to be fine..." before he kissed her hand and, seeing the wedding band on her finger, decided that she needed an engagement ring.

After a simple lunch of sandwiches, Joseph again refusing to tell her what they were having for dinner, especially once he had sent two of their bodyguards out to the shops, they went back outside to their chairs, but it was only half an hour later when Joseph glanced out the horizon and saw the storm clouds building.

"Uh oh... I think we're going to have to go inside soon, sweetheart, I think there's a storm on it's way..."

"Oh!" Clarisse looked startled, fear creeping into her features- she was scared of storms and she hoped that his prediction was wrong, but as the breeze increased and got gustier and the clouds raced towards them, darkening the sky as they did so, she realized he was right and they quickly gathered their belongings and hurried into the house, only just making it as, seconds later, the rain began to teem down.

"Just in time!" Joseph declared with a grin as he closed the french doors and Clarisse nodded her agreement before jumping a little as a large clap of thunger suddenly sounded in the sky and Joseph remembered that she was afraid of storms.

"I'm sorry, I..." she stuttered, looking embarrassed.

"It's okay, sweetheart," he soothed, walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her. "I know storms scare you but we're safe inside and I'm sure it will pass quickly so we can go outside and watch the sunset on the beach."

Unfortunately for Joseph, the storm raged for most of the afternoon, thunder and lightning interspersing with the rain and while Clarisse tried to remain nonchalant, her husband could see she was terrified underneath the surface and tried to distract her by informing her of what they would be having for dinner- roast beef with all the trimmings- and that she could help with the preparations. His words did the trick as she stopped shivering after each flash of lightning and looked at him curiously.

"What did you want me to do?"

"Can you peel and cut up potatoes and carrots?"

"I'm not totally useless in the kitchen, Joseph," she gave him a withering look before she proceeded to the sink to do what she was asked.

They worked in contented silence for a time, the well lit kitchen made cozier by the storm outside, but Clarisse couldn't help but shiver at almost every clap of thunder.

"Are you alright?" Joseph joined her at the sink after he had put the roast on, wrapping an arm around her waist as she rinsed the vegetables.

"I'm fine... I... I just don't like storms..."

"I know, it's perfectly understandable..." and they stood together in silence, watching the storm outside and the waves pounding the shore, both of them remembering an evening similar to this five years earlier...

00000

"I hate storms," Clarisse shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself, her pale blue cardigan suddenly not providing enough warmth, as she stared out the windows of her living room- it was only just five o'clock in the evening in early April, but it was dark as night outside, made that way by a storm that had been raging most of the afternoon. "I hope Phillipe is alright," she murmured, knowing that her youngest son was on his way home from a weekend in Lybitt.

"He will be," came a low, reassuring voice from the sofa and she turned to smile at Joseph, her loyal Head of Security, her best friend and the man she was developing strong and increasingly deep feelings for, even though she had only lost her husband, the King, a year ago. "He will be very well protected and the boys know the roads like the backs of their hands."

"I can't help worrying, I'm a mother," she said as she moved across the room to sit down next to him. "I'll be worrying about my sons for the rest of my life."

"And that's why you're a good mother," he said firmly as he took her hand in his and began to stroke it gently. "They both know you love them."

"I've always made sure they knew that... they knew that at least one of their parents loved them."

"I'm sure Rupet did too, in his own way," Joseph tried to ease the bitterness that had resurfaced from within her, although they both knew fatherbood hadn't been his strong suit. "Anyway, I'm sure Phillipe is fine and before you know it, he'll be bursting in here soaking wet and tracking mud in with him."

"You're right," she said with a small smile as she allowed herself to relax back against the sofa. That boy..." before she realized that she and Joseph were alone. "I don't particularly like storms, I never have."

"I know a way I can make you forget about the storm," he suggested with a coy smile, shifting closer to her.

"Oh?" she blushed, looking shy yet excited- they had so little time alone that they cherished every moment they had, holding hands, cuddling and kissing, albiet innocently and far more restrained than they both secretly wanted to be. "How, my loyal, devoted, handsome head of security?"

"Like this," he said, tilting her chin up so that she was meeting his eyes before he pressed his lips down on hers for a soft, sweet yet vaguely passionate kiss.

"Feeling better?" he asked when they finally broke apart.

"Definitely," she said when she opened her eyes, a dreamy expression clouding her features before her eyes turned mischievious. "But... I can still hear thunder..." she trailed off meaningfully and he laughed efore he leaned over to kiss her again, but before their lips could touch, there was a knock on the door and they leapt apart seconds before the door opened and Charlotte stepped in, looking oddly pale and distraught.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Your Majesty, but..." she paused, unable to continue- it was even worse seeing Clarisse and the happy expression on her eyes-, much to the surprise of the other two, before she managed to find the words to continue. "Joe, could I speak with you for a few minutes?"

"Of course," he agreed before turning to grin reassuringly at Clarisse who, despite his smile, couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive, as she had been feeling on occasion for most of the afternoon, but she silently told herself she was being ridiculous as she relaxed back against the sofa, happy to wait until Joseph returned to give her another kiss or two before Phillipe came home...

00000

"Little did I know that while we were kissing on my sofa, my youngest son was dying on the slippery roads," her voice trembled before she turned and buried her face into his shoulder, the memory and her words bringing back feelings she had long since worked through and moved on from. "I felt so guilty..."

"I remember, " he said soberly, recalling how, for the two months preceeding Phillipe's death, she had reverted back to her cool, professional side, their relationship seemingly on the back burner temporarily as she clearly felt guilty about kissing him while Phillipe's car had been involved in an accident but, thankfully, by the time their sojourn to San Francisco to meet Mia had ended, things had begun to return to normal and Clarisse had realized that their relationship with Joseph had had nothing to do with the accident.

"But I am glad you realized Phillipe would haved wanted to you be happy," he added seriously and she nodded as she pulled away and wiped her eyes.

"I know... there were probably times when he wished you were his father rather than Rupert... I know there were times when I wished that."

For a moment, Joseph was speechless at her admission- he had known that the boys had looked up to him as a surrogate father figure, and he had done his best to be the best role model for them that he could be, but it stunned him that Clarisse had wished that... that she had wished and hoped that he had been the father of her sons...

He hadn't realized that her marriage with Rupert had been so bad, but that she had had that dream, that hope that he had dreamt about for years... it touched him more than he had ever thought possible.

"Joseph?" she looked at him curiously. "Is something wrong?"

"I...I just can't believe that you would have ever wished something like that..."

"It makes me look awful, doesn't it?" she hung her head in shame and Joseph was quick to tilt her chin up so that she was looking up at him.

"No, it doesn't...I would have loved to have been those boys' father, or the father of any children you could have given me... I just didn't realize that Rupert was that bad a father..."

"He did have his good moments," Clarisse conceded. "Pierre was very fond of him and Phillipe worshipped him... but there were qualities that he had that I hoped that would never be passed on to our sons..."

"They weren't," he reassured him. "Except Phillipe's devotion to Genovia and the crown, but that's an admirable one...but..."

"You are a far better man than he ever was," Clarisse said fervently, squeezing his hand tightly. "I hope you realize that... and I know the boys adored you when they were growing up- you were always there for them... and I know that they have absorbed from lessons and qualities from you... you would have been a wonderful father..."

Joseph swallowed hard and pulled away from Clarisse to stand at the sink and gaze blankly out of the windows- the fact that he hadn't married or had children had never bothered him, he had been more than happy to work hard and move rapidly through the ranks to Head of Security, but the way Clarisse just told him what she told him, he suddenly felt a pang of regret for what he had missed out on... a family...

But, if truth be told, he wouldn't have wanted it with anyone by the woman standing at his side now...and yet that wouldn't have been possible...

"I'm sorry..." her soft voice came from his side. "I didn't mean to upset you...and I'm sorry... I'm sorry that I didn't let you go to do your own thing, to have the family you so richly deserved..."

It was the one thing about their relationship she would always regret- she felt selfish and guilty that she had kept him from having a family of his own, a life of his own, and she wondered whether he would have any regrets about not having that...

However, to her surprise, he whirled around and crushed her against his chest, his eyes full of tears.

"No, don't ever say that, don't say that you should have let me go..." he whispered fiercely into her hair. "From the moment I met you, I only wanted you and I didn't want anyone else to be my wife and the mother of my children...yes, I did have momentary twinges for not having a family, but not for one single second have I ever regretted loving you... I wanted you and I would have waited forever for you..."

"Oh darling..."Clarisse whispered as she pulled away and met his eyes, her eyes damp with tears. "I just don't want you to ever regret anything..."

"I don't," he looked at her determindedly, fiercely, the passion he felt for her burning in his eyes. "I never will... I love you so much, Clarisse, and I hope we have a long, long time together..."

"We will," she assured him. "I know life isn't always fair, but we deserve it and I have the funny feeling that we will have a lot of time together... and I love you too," she added in a whisper and, at that, he kissed her, a long, passionate, searing kiss that made both sets of toes curl and Clarisse cling to him in such a way that they both knew it only meant one thing.

"Are you feeling a little adventurous?" he growled into her ear once they broke apart.

"Yes... but not the kitchen..." she replied in a seductive voice.

"No...but it's not too far away..." he responded and she only kissed him fiercely, giving him the answer he required as he scooped her up easily into his arms and headed towards the living room where a very comfortable couch awaited them...


	14. Table Talk

_The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!_

_Thanks to all my loyal readers and reviewers!_

When they finally resurfaced much, much later, the storm had finally subsided (although there were still a few claps of thunder and flashes of lightning, obviously another storm was around) and Joseph, after a momentary glance at his watch and realizing he had to put the vegetables on, gently extricated himself from Clarisse and their perch on the long leather couch, and dashed out to the kitchen to do just that, Clarisse admiring the view and was still smiling when he returned, clad only in his boxers.

"What's so amusing?" he teased as he rejoined her on the couch, Clarisse slipping on his t-shirt as she sat up next to her husband.

"You really don't know how magnificent you are," she almost breathed, running a hand down his bare, muscular chest and he chuckled almost smugly as he reached for his shorts, his only available item of clothing now that Clarisse had stolen his shirt, and surmrised that they both had time to shower and change their clothes before dinner. "You are, you know."

"I never really thought about it," he shrugged modestly but he was secretly pleased that Clarisse had noticed and admired him, not that she wouldn't have, she was an intelligent and alert woman. "I DO have to keep fit!"

"You did as my HOS, but now... you don't have to for cosmetic or health reasons as I love you just the way you are..."

"I know that, but I enjoy exercising and keeping fit... what intrigues me is that you look fabulous...you always have," he added hastily, not wanting to insult her. "But now you are simply... stunning and youthful!"

"That's what love does!" she smiled with a blush. "That, and a lot of assistance from maids, stylists, hair dressers, anti ageing creams and modern technology...not that I've experiment with that!" she added with a rueful laugh. "I doubt I would be able to get anything done without the country finding out about it!" but he shook his head with a frown.

"No...you've always been naturally beautiful but as you've aged, you've gotten even more beautiful!"

"You're just biased," Clarisse protested before chuckling as he reached over, slipped a hand under her shirt and ran his hand up and down her back.

"Either way, I adore you just as much as when I first realized how much I cared about you... but you are still a gorgeous woman and I don't think there was much assistance in helping you stay the way you are!"

"I love that you find it so easy to compliment me and make me feel better about myself."

"It's easy," he lay her back down on the sofa and hovered above her with a broad smile. "I find you beautiful, kind, intelligent, sweet, compassionate and... incredibly sexy," he finished in a low voice as he leaned over and began nuzzling her neck, eliciting soft chuckles from his wife.

"Sexy?" she turned even bredder but she also looked pleased at his words.

"Yes, absolutely... you are the sexiest woman I know..."

"I'm hardly that as compared to other, younger women..."

"Nevertheless, you are incredibly sexy and I love the fact that you... belong to me and I don't need to compete for you attention or your heart..."

"I love that too," she said softly before she touched his face with her hand. "You don't have to compete with anyone else, you've always had my heart and my attention..." before he leaned down again and kissed her, a kiss that deepened by the second and, as hands began wandering, the second approaching storm was all but forgotten...

0

It was only when delicious smells began to waft from the kitchen that the newlyweds realized that they soon had to leave their comfortable couch to shower and dress before their eagerly awaited roast dinner and, while neither of them had said it, tonight was a special occasion and they were both secretly planning on dressing up a little.

There was another storm rumbling around, but Clarisse was so relaxed and content, the nightmares of the past finally laid to rest, that she didn't really notice the storm, thunder or lightning, being far too absorbed in gazing at her husband and again absorbing the features of his face that made him look so gentle, so caring, compassionate and intelligent... she was so lucky...

"Penny for your thoughts?" he teased as he played with a strand of her hair before tucking it behind her ear.

"I was just thinking... how lucky I am to have you as my husband," she admitted shyly.

"That's funny, because I was thinking the same thing about you as my wife..."

"Life won't be quite as easy and relaxed when we return to the palace," she warned with a sigh as she sat up and reached for her blouse- she wanted to have to have a shower before dinner and she wanted to dress up a little. "Even after the coronation, Mia is still going to need us..."

"I know that," he caressed her cheek, his eyes shining with tenderness. "All that matters to me is that I'm with you, we're together, and I'm able to share your life and burdens... and share your responsibilities to Mia..."

"You always believed in her," she said with a smile.

"So did you," he retorted as he slipped his shirt on, grinning to himself as he smelled her scent. "And now, in a few days, we'll be able to enjoy seeing Mia step into her own as Queen."

"She'll be a marvellous Queen," Clarisse said with a proud smile- she had had some doubts initially, especially after the beach party incident, but she had always known, deep down, that if she was anything like her father, she would do very, very well.

"Of course," he said lightly, kissing her on the cheek before standing up and helping her up. "Why don't you go and have a shower before dinner, and I'll just go and check on things."

"Alright... just don't set the table!" she instructed before she disappeared out of the room to have her shower...

0

Nearly forty minutes later, Joseph bounded down the stairs clad in black trousers and one of his best dress shirts and stepped into the kitchen to discover Clarisse carefully setting the plates on the workbench and was about to head to the stove to collect a saucepan of vegetables that were ready to serve before pausing with a shy smile when she saw Joseph in the doorway.

"I thought I would start serving... you look very handsome," she began before she realized that he was more interested in what she was wearing rather than what she was doing.

She was wearing a simple red and white silk summer dress with a shorter than usual hemline, a v neckline and a waist that cinched in and then flowed out for a pretty short skirt; she was wearing matching white sandles, a little makeup and very little jewellery, aside from her wedding ring and a simple diamond drop necklace he had given her several birthdays back, a birthday when she realized how much she loved Joseph, and he remembered that birthday too when he saw the necklace. "Is something wrong?"

"You look beautiful..." he cornered her and wrapped his arms around her. "Is that the necklace I gave you?" he asked, touching it gently.

"Yes, but while I only used to wear it on special occasions, I will be wearing it much more often now."

"Good," he said before kissing her forehead lightly. "That's why I gave it to you," he added before he turned and headed towards the oven for the lamb while Clarisse cotninued to serve their vegetables- it was a strangely domesticated feeling, considering that she was used to other people serving her, but she liked it.

Once dinner was served, Joseph followed Clarisse toward the table, carrying both plates while she carried a bottle of wine before stopping when he saw that she had gone to a great deal of effort with the table- candles were their only light, she had set the table to perfection and she had even found some flowers to place in a vase in the middle of the table.

"This looks terrific!"

"I was always good at setting tables and place settings," she said modestly as she sat down in the chair he held out for her. "I enjoy it... but this time I especially loved doing it..."

0

After a long, leisurely dinner by candle light, the occasional flash of lightning outside reminding them that there was still storms outside, with plenty of conversation to share (they had always been able to talk about anything with each other, even when they had been Queen and Head of Security), Clarisse sat back against her chair after dessert (apple pie and ice cream) with a contented smile.

"That was delicious... I never realized how good a chef you really are, Joseph, although it doesn't surprise me... how did you learn to cook so well?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "My mother taught me the basics, but my father didn't encourage it, he didn't think it was manly enough..." he avoided looking at her for a moment.

"So... it wasn't until I was out on my own that I really learnt to cook... There were a few disasters, like the time when I almost burnt the kitchen down trying to make my own pasta sauce, but I've improved over the years... and I've had a few hints from the palace chef..."

"You could have had a career as a chef then," she said lightly, sipping her wine. "You could have owned your own restaurant..."

"No," he shook his head. "I didn't want that... can you imagine me in a kitchen, pandering to others appetites? I doubt I would have had enough patience to keep up with their complaints," he added with a broad grin. "I probably would have lost my temer at least once a day..."

"You were always so patient with your men..."

"But sometimes they drove me crazy... no, I prefer to keep some of my talents under wraps and prefer to display my cooking skills to only a select few... namely, my wife..." he reached over and took her hand in his, lifting it to his lips.

"How fortunate for me," she looked coquettishly at him. "My own personal chef...

"Only on special occasions... I don't want Jean Pierre to get too envious," he joked and she chuckled. "Did you ever want to cook yourself...aside from the soups?"

"I DID do a year at a finishing school," Clarisse looked thoughtful. "I had a few lessons when I was a little girl with my grandmother and I did enjoy it... but it was drummed into me that a real lady never cooked, it was beneath her and as Queen... it wasn't allowed..."

"Did you ever want to cook?"

"I don't know," she said with a sigh. "A part of me does, a part of me wants to contribute in some way- which is why I enjoyed helping you today- but I also know that... I am used to a certain way of life and it would be difficult to change that," she said honestly.

"But I would be willing to try if we were ever to leave the palace," she added hastily, not wanting to emphasize any differences between them- she grew up as a pampered, protected almost spoiled rich girl who had married into royalty while he had grown up in a far different, far harsher world than she had and she was well aware that their experiences were very dissimilarl.

She sighed at that thought, not aware that Joseph was watching her carefully and had seen her eyes sadden as a thought.

"Is something wrong?" he inquired suddenly and she gave a start before smiling slightly at him.

"I was just thinking...about how dissparate our lives have been and how different our experiences have been..."  
>"So? That makes us all the more different, but there is so much we can share with each other..."<p>

"But what if..." she paused, biting her lip and he was immediately concerned.

"But what if what?"

"What if we're too different?" she almost whispered, revealing her true concerns about their marriage and he couldn't help but sigh- she worried too much about what everyone else though and it had coloured her confidence in them and their relationship.

"Do YOU think we're too different to be together?" he asked finally, hoping that she wouldn't express any doubts about them being together and he was relieved to see her shake her head fervently.

"No, I KNOW we were meant to be together and our differences compliment each other- you're protective..."

"You're protected."

"You're outgoing..."

"You're quiet... and unflappable in a crisis."

"You're dependable, reliable and loyal..."

"...while you are intelligent, sweet and caring... but while I could continue to list your numerous qualities, I need and want to know WHY you're worrying NOW about our differences?"

"I'm not..."

"You are... you were worried about our differences being too great... I would have thought that our strong friendship over the years would have given us a firm foundation for marriage... Clarisse, my darling, you worry too much..."

"I know... and I know that we're perfect together... but I can't help but worry that... we come from two different worlds, we have so many different life experiences..."

"It doesn't mean anything to either of us (hopefully)- but our very different life experiences may contribute in beneficial ways to our relationship. Yes, we came from different worlds but, deep down, we're the same and feel the same about the important issues."

"You're right," Clarisse said with a smile. "As usual, about everything... especially relationships..."

"I'm not an expert in love and relationship, we both know that, despite my reputation... but I DO know what's best for us... see, sometimes our differences do help and we will learn to live together happily, without worrying about anyone else's opinion," he added pointedly.

"Alright, alright," Clarisse chuckled- she didn't have any doubts about their relationship, but she was just worried that the differences they DID have would ultimately tear them apart. "I'll try not to worry... and other people's opinions don't bother me, they haven't for a long time."

"Really?" he arched an eyebrow at her and she visibly weakened.

"Maybe sometimes, in terms of my personal life, but I just don't want you hurt by their words."

"I can fend for myself," he said firmly as he shifted his chair so that he was sitting next to her. "Sweetheart, you don't need to worry about me and other peoples opinions of me... I don't care what they say, all that matters to me is your happiness... are you happy with me?"

"Absolutely," she squeezed his hand firmly and lovingly. "I don't think I could ever be happier with anyone else."  
>"Then that's all that matters...I've never listened to anyone's opinion- except yours and Shades occasionally- and I'm not going to start listening now, unless it affects you!"<p>

"I should learn somethings from you," she said wryly but she smiled at him. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to make you feel like I've doubted you and us... I haven't... I just don't want our differences to divide us..."

"They won't," Joseph said confidently before he held up his glass in a toas. "To our differences... may we always embrace them as being beneficial to us rather than seeing them as opportunities to divide us!"

"To our differences!" Clarisse echoed as they clinked glasses and drank some of the sweet liquid- they had gone through nearly a bottle that night, but it was a special occasion AND they didn't drink too much too often- before he leaned over and kissed her long and passionately enough so that any residual doubts about their differences were blown away...


	15. A Midnight Stroll

_A/N: Bad news, I'm going to wrap this story up in a chapter or two... however, I still have 'A Royal Journey' and I'll probably have another story up as well... so I'll still be around!_

_Thanks to all my readers and reviewers!_

_The PD doesn't belong to me!_

After lingering over dinner a little longer, not wanting it to end, they cleared the table together and Joseph then loaded the dishwasher, Clarisse watching raptly, before he surveyed the weather and they decided to watch a movie, distracted only when Mia called 'to check up on you' as she cheekily informed Joseph.

"We're fine, Princess...how are you?"

He loved the girl just as much as her grandmother and he was so very proud of her, always had been and always would be and he knew that she would be a marvellous Queen, almost as good as Clarisse... for him, Clarisse would always be the best and the greatest.

"Fine, busy, getting ready for the coronation... I haven't heard from Nicholas, though," she sounded momentarily depressed before quickly changing the subject and he subsequently passed the phone onto Clarisse, but Joseph couldn't forget the desolation in her voice and he said as much to his wife as they got ready for bed a little later.

"She really does like that boy and, from what I saw, he likes her too... but I'll kill him if he hurts her," he growled protectively as he climbed into bed, clad in his pyjama bottoms (Clarisse had insisted he didn't need his shirt, causing him to tease "you're obsessed with my physical appearance, despite your protests!") and Clarisse smiled as she slid in the other side, wearing the lingerie that had survived the previous night and, despite his concern for Mia, she spied a gleam in his eye and a grin flit across his face- she was most definitely sexy, despite her innocence and shyness.

"He seems like a very nice boy to me," she said calmly. "He cares about Genovia... and he stood up for Mia at the church," she added with a thoughtful expression, feeling a pang of regret...

She could barely remember much of the day prior to the moment her granddaughter encouraged her to follow her heart, but she could recall Nicholas bursting into the church and defending Mia against his uncle and most of parliament.

That moment had convinced Clarisse that the young man truly cared for her beloved granddaughter and she now hoped that there could be something more between them now that his uncle was out of the picture... and that Nicholas would be a strong, steadying influence and support for her...

"His father was a good man," she remembered a previous generation, Nicholas being the very image of his father, who had been fair and intelligent himself, unlike his brother in law...

"Indeed he was, and Lord Nicholas is, I'm pleased to say, more like him than his despicable uncle..." Joseph scowled, reminded of the scene between him and the older man in the stables several weeks earlier, although Viscount Mabrey's assumptions and snide comments had been aimed towards Clarisse rather than Mia. "But while he's a nice guy, I don't want him hurting Mia in anyway," he looked fierce and Clarisse was touched.

"I'm sure, if he's anything like his father, he won't, but... maybe it's for the best if he stays away, at least until after the coronation... Viscount Mabrey won't be welcomed at the coronation by most of the members of parliament and I'm not quite sure about the reception Nicholas will receive from them... I don't want any controversy on Mia's day!"

"That's a reasonable expectation," he remarked and she nodded, glad he was supporting her, although he seemed to have sensed that as, seconds later, he added: "I will ALWAYS support your decisions in regards to Genovia and Mia's as well- whatever you two say, goes..."

"What about decisions in regards to our marriage?" she joked, switching off her light and sliding closer to him in bed, dancing her fingers across his chest.

"In our marriage..." he loved the sound of those words- he had always dreamed of sharing that with Clarisse, a marriage, and now they were..."...WE make the decisions together!"

"Which is what I want- you and I sharing our lives and all the decisions," she said definitely as she rested her head on his shoulder. "In fact, you can make ALL the decisions... I'm tired of always being the primary decision maker."

"That sounds rather old fashioned," he stroked her hair with his free hand.

"In a lot of ways, I am a tradition woman, despite my position of power in an essentially man's world."

"I like that, but I would prefer it if we make the decisions about our life together... we're equals in this marriage and I want it to stay that way."

"Really?" she sounded momentarily unsure.

"Absolutely," he said definitely. "I'm not like those archaic old men in parliament who think women in general are second class citizens."

"Good,"Clarisse snuggled closer to him. "I always knew you were a far more open minded man than even Rupert... although he did have his good points," she admitted almost reluctantly- she was more than well aware of his faults as a husband and father, but he had been a good king.

"I have to admit, he obviously didn't think I was a second class citizen when he suggested I was crowned Queen in my own right."

"Which goes to show that he was smart enough to realize that."

"As were you," she teased before yawning. "Goodness, it's almost eleven... I don't think I've spent so many nights up in a row as this... byt the time we return to the palace, I'm going to need to catch up on my sleep!" but her teasing tone told him that she loved it anyway.

"Well, we'd better start the process now," he teased as she lay against him, her head resting on her pillows and he rested an arm on her waist before he leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Good night, my darling."

"Good night..." she replied sleepily.

0

The ensuring days flew by far too fast for both of them and the royal couple tried to enjoy as much of the sun filled days as possible, well aware that their honeymoon was quickly drawing to a close.

Joseph and Clarisse spent as much of their mornings on the beach, enjoying the indolent life of sunbathing, reading, jogging (in Joseph's case) and generally enjoying the beach and it's atmosphere, or in bed before using the kitchen to prepare lunch (and Clarisse did prepare the vegetable soup her grandmother taught her, a meal which Joseph devoured and had second, third and fourth helpings, praising her enthusiastically) and then dinner, Clarisse clearly enjoying her participation, although she preferred Joseph being in charge and she following 'orders'.

They did try to retire earlier than their first nights at the house, but there was usually something one or the other wanted to watch and they usually watched it together.

"But we make up for it by getting up later in the mornings!" he joked on their last full day there when they got up later than usual.

"But we'll have to get into the habit of being up before my maids come in in the morning!"

It had been a perfect honeymoon and Clarisse knew that the time away from the palace had given them the opportunity to solidify their marriage AWAY from the well meaning yet prying eyes of everyone around them and get used to each other while confessing secrets and feelings they had hid until now.

She herself felt much better about her past, her hopes for their future and Mia's and she was looking forward to spending the rest of her life with Joseph, her husband, and hopefully enjoying a far more private and low key life after the coronation... she sighed happily at that thought.

"What's wrong?" she heard his voice from beside her in bed the night before they had to return to the palace, the coronation scheduled for the following day, and while she was sad that their honeymoon was almost over, she was looking forward to seeing Mia crowned.

"Nothing's wrong... I was just thinking about how much I'm looking forward to having a life not including royal duties, but with you and seeing Mia on the throne... Suddenly, my life is going to be my own again and I can share it with you."

"I've always wanted to spend the rest of my life with you... and now that I am... " he trailed off, not wanting to sound too sentimental or over emotional, but Clarisse sensed it as she turned over and gently pressed her lips to his shoulder.

There was a long silence between them before Joseph, glancing out at the clear, starry night and hearing the waves crash on the sand, suddenly had an idea.

"Do you want to go for a walk on the beach?"

"What?" Clarisse couldn't believe her ears. "A walk on the beach- now? It's almost midnight!"

"It may be almost midnight, but it's out last night here and... I think it might be romantic..." he nuzzled her neck playfully and she chuckled before she considered the idea and then pulled away from him, pushing back the covers.

"Why not?" before she paused. "Do we need to let our entourage know where we're going?" but Joseph shook his head.

"No, we should be alright."

Once they had dressed, excited at Joseph's suggestion, Joseph and Clarisse hurried down the darkened stairs, through the kitchen and through the french doors onto the small veranda without switiching on a light and, after he ensured that they would be able to get back into the house, he took his wife's hand and they walked, barefoot, down the path to the beach, the moon illuminating the way.

"You're right, this is very romantic," Clarisse commented as they strolled along the shore, their feet occasionally splashing through the cold water, hand in hand. "Especially as no one know where we are."

"Was that always the appeal for you when you tried to escape from me?" he teased huskily and she giggled, sounding almost girlish.

"Maybe," she said coyly, squealing with laughter when he lunged at her and held her tightly against him.

"You and Mia really are alike!" he marvelled before they continued their walk along the beach. "Are you really very sad to be leaving tomorrow, my love?"

"A little," she admitted. "The last week has been so perfect, we've bared our souls to each other and we've had so much fun here, it's going to be strange to go back to the palace... but I'm looking forward to the coronation and seeing Mia crowned... and this week has helped our relationship."

"Yes it has, all thanks to Mia and Shades, although I think we would have gone away anyway..."

"Do you think we'll survive back at the palace?" she stopped to look at him and he smiled as he touched her cheek. "It's not that I'm not doubting us, but I've learnt that my marriage to Rupert was on display much of the time..."

"We are going to be fine," he said reassuringly. "We were an unoffical couple for so long and the palace staff turned a blind eye then, so I think that they will not cause any problems when they return to the palace, although your maids..." he grinned at her. "You do trust me, don't you?"

"I do," she with a shy smile before he leaned over and kissed her.

"So stop worrying...did you know that you worry too much?"

"I have been told that," Clarisse said with a smile. "However, I always felt that my concern for others was one of my best qualities."

"And it is... but you don't need to worry about Mia, Genovia or us quite so much anymore... we're going to be fine, Mia is going to be fine (that I'm sure of) and Genovia is definitely going to be fine under her reign."

"I know that... it's just a little hard to not worry."

"Well, you don't need to anymore... I'm here to worr y for both of us... you're far too beautiful to destroy your looks by worrying too much!"

"I knew there was a reason why I married you," Clarisse stopped again and smiled broadly at him, touched that he was able to reassure her- he was so strong and so caring, she knew she could rely on him...

"Good, that's what I'm here for," before he leaned over and kissed her again. "To the future!"

"To the future!" she whispered in return before they continued walking down the beach, enjoying their midnight stroll...


	16. Pierre's News

_A.N: TWO chapters in a week... it's funny how once a story approaches it's end, I find it easier to write chapters, but I will miss this story hence will have to start another one AND continue 'A Royal Journey'... but still a chapter or two to go!_

_Thanks to all my readers and reviewers! You all rock!_

_The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!_

The next morning, they were up earlier than previous mornings (when they were only just emerging from bed between nine and ten) and, after dressing and packing, were enjoying their last breakfast at the familiar dining room table, the sea and their usual spot where they spent their mornings only metres away, when Clarisse began feeling a little sad and regretful.

Yes, they HAD to go home- she had last minute details to oversee, a rehearsal and host a dinner for their visiting dignitaries (as well as the tradition lighting of the flame), her last as reigning monarch, but while she very much wanted to see her granddaughter and prepare her for one of the biggest moments in her life, she didn't want to leave her and Joseph's secluded honeymoon spot.

The past week had shown her that there was more to life than paperwork, ruling a country, pandering to the whims of spoiled parliamentarians and putting her life on the backburner and she somehow didn't want to go back at all... except she wanted to see Mia and Pierre.

"We'll be back," Joseph suddenly spoke, bursting into her thoughts and she smiled at him acrosss the table.

"I know we will... but this time will always be special."

"Of course, but we'll make other memories as well..." before he paused suddenly, looking surprisingly awkward. "I was wondering... you don't need to answer this but... where did you and Rupert go on your honeymoon?"

"Oh!" Clarisse looked momentarily startled but not sad as she frowned pensively, casting her mind back over 45 years back to her first honeymoon. "We had a month long half romantic, half businss trip around Europe... we were travelling much of the time but there were moments between us... our relationship was always so much better when we were away from Genovia... " her expression was soft and he realized that, in a way, she still loved Rupert.

"However," she added, her eyes meeting his and she realized that he could misinterpret her words. "A few moments of romance over forty plus years of marriage does not add up to a decent, fulfilling relationship... this past week has been far more loving and fulfilling than any time in my marriage, and do you know what the best part is?" she looked at him with a bright smile, her eyes filling with tears.

"It's not going to end, it's going to continue and we're going to enjoy it together... sure, we're going to have arguments and rough patches but I KNOW that our marriage is going to be so much better than my first one."

"Exactly," he reached over and touched her hand gently before he half stood and leaned over to kiss her, unable to resist. Thing WERE going to be different when they returned to the palace- they certainly weren't going to be able to spend so much time doing nothing or in bed- but he was sure that they would make time for each other- he was going to make sure of that.

It didn't take too long for their luggage to be loaded into the car and the house locked up after a last check around and Joseph and Clarisse stood on the small veranda and looked out at the ocean for a few moments, breathing in the fresh, salty air.

"We'll be back," he murmured from beside her. "I imagine we'll have to escape from the palace in a couple of months and we can come back here."

"Yes," she said simply, closing her eyes and taking another deep breath in and letting it out slowly before her eyes snapped open and she slipped her arm through his. "Let's go home."

0

It felt a little strange for both of them to drive back through the golden gates and along the gravel driveway leading up to the palace, the car finally coming to a stop in front of the main stone steps leading up to the door and then one of the guards on duty hurrying forward to open the door- they had been so isolated for the past week, cosy in their beach house and living as normal a life as possible, coming back to the grandeur and formality was a slight shock to the system.

"Feels strange to be back, doesn't it?" Joseph expressed her feelings out loud as they sat in the car a moment longer and she silently nodded before he climbed out of his side and strolled around to help her... his wife... out of the car, inwardly rejoicing that he was allowed to touch her, not in professional and distant ways, but proudly, as a husband who loved his wife.

"Welcome home," she murmured under her breath before they walked up the stairs arm in arm.

No one was in Clarisse's study when they peered in, but Clarisse assumed that Mia was having a break so the couple headed upstairs to Mia's suite, Joseph jovially greeting members of the palace staff as they passed, Clarisse smiling shyly.

She paused outside Mia's doors, hearing talking and soft laughter inside, but she had no chance to reconsider as one of the guards opened the doors and they came into view of Mia's living room and the people there- Mia, Lily, her mother and stepfather, Charlotte, Pierre and several of Mia's girlfriends, all of whom paused in their conversations when they saw Joseph and Clarisse step into the room.

"Grandma, Joe!" Mia beamed, standing up and hurrying over to them. "You're back!"

"We couldn't miss your coronation, Princess!" Joseph said happily, enjoying seeing his two favourite 'girls' enjoy a happy reunion. "Besides, it wouldn't be quite a typical coronation if the reigning monarch wasn't present to see her successor ascend the throne, would it?"

"True... but it's so good to have you both back again... especially so that you can be seen publicly and confirm your marriage... there has been quite a few headlines about you this week," she giggled, but while Clarisse blushed, Joseph looked unfazed.

"It must be slow newsweek if they've been repeating the same old news over the past week!"

"I think so... Grandpa!" she finished with another giggle but while the name was unfamiliar, Joseph found that he liked it. "However, I'm sure you won't be in the spotlight for too long!"

"Thank goodness!" he pretended to wipe his brow in relief. "I wasn't meant to be in the spotlight!"

"Then why did you marry me?" Clarisse teased before spying her son and strolling over to greet him. "Hello Pierre, I'm so glad you could stay for this," she said softly as she hugged him and he grinned at her words, looking like a fair haired Phillipe for a moment.

"I couldn't miss my niece's coronation for anything... or spending time with my newlywed mother and new stepfather!" he grinned broadly at Joseph as the two men shook hands. "Actually, Mother, I was wondering if I could talk to you alone for a few minutes?" and she nodded quickly.

"Of course dear, we can go for a walk..." before she looked around the room. "I know there is plenty to do, but if you'll excuse us..."

"Of course Grandma," Mia replied, exchanging a look with Charlotte that Clarisse missed, although Joseph saw it and he realized that they all knew Pierre's news before he suddenly realized that she was speaking to him.

"Joseph?"

"Of course, darling, it's fine... I really need to go and make sure Shades hasn't made a mess of my plans..." everyone laughed at that. "... I'll see you all at lunch," he encompassed them all with his words, kissed Clarisse lightly on the cheek and strode out of the room, followed moments later by Clarisse and Pierre, arm in arm.

0

It wasn't until they were in the midst of the garden, heading towards the gazebo where Joseph had proposed, that Clarisse stopped and turned to her son.

"I'm sorry I didn't spend much time with you at the wedding... " she began before her son stopped her with a laugh.

"It's alright, Mama," he reverted back to what he used to call her when he was little. "I understand completely- you were the bride and you and your groom had a lot to do with greeting guests and enjoying your reception."  
>"You're not annoyed about us?"<p>

"Of course not!" he tightly clasped her hands in his own. "I am genuinely, truly delighted for you and Joe... he's always been in love with you and I always sensed that you cared for him too."

"But your father..."

"My father was who he was and I know your relationship was never easy, but you never gave up... but I somehow think that your relationship with Joseph will be far easier and far more loving... and I'm more than happy for both of you, as Phillipe would have been... you deserve it."

They continued walking for a time, Clarisse blinking back tears at his obvious and loud approval of her remarriage, before she turned the subject towards him.

"So, how are you? What have you been doing?"

"The usual- studying, preaching, teaching Sunday school... my congregation is small but they are good people and I enjoy my work with them."

"You were always good with people," she said, looking at him fondly.

"Phillipe was always the one who could charm the birds off the trees."

"But you had charm too," she stopped and looked at him seriously. "Don't ever think that you are less than you are- despite your father's words and ideas, I have always been very proud of you and loved you and I don't want you to ever forget that!" she said almost fiercely and Pierre smiled broadly, touched at her words, and she was suddenly struck by the fact that he looked more like her at that moment, more than she had ever realized.

"Wow, marriage to Joseph has certainly changed you!" he joked before he put an arm around her shoulders. "Seriously, Mama, I always knew that you were proud of me and loved me... Phillipe and I always knew where we stood with you."

"My boys could NEVER disappoint me, and they never did," she said simply. "I know your father was rather..."  
>"Judgement... he was, to the extreme."<p>

"Indeed, although he was reasonable at times..."

"Yes, especially when he decided that you should be able to rule in your own right, I agree with that."

"...But he did love you both in his own way."

Pierre looked skeptical- he had never felt that- but he didn't want to argue with his mother- she was still loyal to the man, even if he hadn't been as loyal to her, but hopefully now that she was married to Joseph, that loyalty would fade away...but he didn't want to make her feel foolish for feeling like that.

"Anyway, I've got some news for you... good news."

"Oh?" Clarisse looked at him intently, her expression expectant and happy.

"I've been offered a job, closer to home... assistant priest to the Archbishop, here in Pyrus... apparently he's due to retire in the next couple of years and he wants someone to train up... and it may be me..." he looked shy but Clarisse was thrilled as she gave a squeal of delight and threw her arms around him.

"Oh darling, that's wonderful news!" she cried happily, tears filling her eyes and slowly spilling onto her cheeks. "I've been hoping for years that you would come home, and now you are!"

"I know it's later than it should be..."

"Tush, that doesn't matter to me! All that matters to me is that you're coming home! I'll be in church every Sunday to hear your sermons when you preach, and I'll drag Joseph and Mia along as well!"

"I have a feeling that you won't have to drag them to church, I think they'll come of their own accord... but are you happy that I'm coming home?"

"Absolutely, I'm so happy... we'll be able to spend more time together, you can get to know Mia and...I'm so very happy..." she trailed off as a few tears ran down her cheeks. "Our family is back together... or some of us, anyway..." she said, both of them thinking about Phillipe and missing him sharply for a moment before Clarisse laughed.

"Speaking of Phillipe, much as I would love to spend more time out here with you now, I think we'll have to go back inside for lunch and then I have to get back to work, finishing planning this coronation!"

"Ah, I think, from what I've learnt from Mia in the past week, she is going to be a great Queen and Genovia is going to be lucky to have her..." and then he paused, wondering whether he could ask his mother this.

"Will you miss being Queen?" he inquired quietly as they strolled back towards the palace and Clarisse considered the question for a moment before looking at him with a radiant smile, the action itself telling him what he wanted to know..

"No...it's time for me to move on, and I'm going to do that with Joseph!"


	17. Nerves

_A/N: I'm slowly getting to the finish... I was thinking about a sequel, seeing where they are in a year or so, but that's only an idea for now, I've got other stories to finish!_

_Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you all rock!_

_The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!_

As expected, Shades (real name Scott, although the nickname Shades had stuck because he always seemed to wear sunglasses, even inside, much to the amusement of his colleagues) had everything under control and reassured Joseph that nothing untoward had happened while they were away before inquiring whether he could be present at the final planning meeting that afternoon, which would encompass the shooting of the arrow that night as well as the coronation the next day, before realizing that Joseph may have had other plans.

"That is, if you're not busy..." he added hastily and his former boss laughed.

"It's alright, I think Clarisse has her own last minute planning meetings this afternoon so I'd be glad to help in anyway I can... and it seems that I have chosen the right man to fill my shoes," he said approvingly.

"That's because you, the best in the business, taught me everything I needed to know!" Scott beamed at him before his expression turned sly.

"So...how was your almost week away from the palace? Did you and your wife enjoy yourselves?"

"The beach house was exactly what we needed and we had a great time," Joseph replied calmly and while Scott could see he was incredibly happy and all was well between them, he couldn't resist teasing him a little more.

"So you and your wife enjoyed the beach... you managed to get outside for some of the time? I always thought honeymoon couples preferred to stay inside and pursue... more indoor activities."

"Yes, we spent our mornings on the beach," Joseph was still calm but there was a slight edge to his voice.

"What did you do in the afternoons? Did she try and seduce you... a woman of power could be quite intoxicating or..."

"Shades," he said warningly. "She is still your Queen as well as my wife and what happened our our honeymoon is our bsiness."

"I know, I know, I just wanted to see how stirred up you would get," Shades grinned at him and Joe glared at him for a moment- he always liked doing that and not only to him- before he rolled his eyes and gave him a wicked grin.

"You know, I'm beginning to regret my decision to appoint you my successor... I think I should find someone else...who else is there?" he mused before he glanced at his watch and realized he had to meet the others for lunch. "I'll see you later..." he gave him another impish grin, Shades looking stricken, before he strode from the room, hiding a smile- he seriously wasn't considering another man for the job, but as Shades had teased him about his honeymoon, he wanted to see him squirm.

His grin and confidence, however, disappeared when he stood in front of the doors leading into the dining room as he realized that he wouldn't be going to stand guard or give Clarisse a message, but instead be there as a guest a member of the family... and tonight, he would be Clarisse's escort... and it would be their first official appearance as husband and wife... could he actually do it?

Joseph remained frozen in the doorway once the doors opened and he watched Clarisse, Pierre, Mia, Charlotte, Helen, Patrick, Mia's girlfriends and the Motezes talk animatedly as they looked for their seats, and was suddenly seized by a feeling of inadequacy- he didn't belong there, he was still only a bodyguard- before he realized Pierre was standing next to him.

"Are you alright, old man?"

"Fine, fine," he croaked and Pierre looked at him for a moment, finding his vulnerability touching.

"You belong here, Joe, you always have... you were a rock to at least three of the people in the room, we all trust you... and, most importantly, you're Mother's husband, so you definitely qualify for sitting with us for lunch, not that you wouldn't be with us anyway, so come on in!"

Joseph almost shuffled awkwardly into the room behind his stepson- stepson, to consider Pierre that, while technically true, was ridiculous- hoping to make a quiet entrance, but everyone looked up the moment he stepped into the room, and no one could miss the way Clarisse's face lit up when she saw him him

She was aware that, as Queen, she shouldn't show such open adoration but since they were among their closest friends and family, she was happy enough, ecstatic even, to be able to show them all that she was happy and very much in love with Joseph, Mia especially so that she could learn that she shouldn't settle for anything less than the best.

Clarisse could also see that Joseph was feeling insecure now that they were back at the palace and where people could still see him as the help, but she wanted him to know that to the people who mattered, he wasn't the help and that SHE saw him as the love of her life and the one man who put her first in his life; she wanted to show him that he came first, along with Mia and Piere, in her heart and he always would.

"I was wondering where you were," she teased as he slid into the chair beside her and squeezed her hand tightly under the table for a moment.

"Just seeing Scott... he may need me this afternoon," he explained under his breath as the others settled into their seats and she nodded understandingly.

"Of course, that's fine... as long as you're available tonight to be my date..." she whispered almost flirtatiously and, as their eyes met, he nodded briefly, nerves and excitement suddenly coursing through him at the thought of being Clarisse's official escort- no longer in the shadows yet not entirely in the spotlight, but with HER as someone important, someone who mattered.

He only had seconds to ruminate over this before Mia, who was sitting opposite them with Lily, leaned forward with a sly smile similar to Shades' earlier.

"So Grandma, Grandpa... how was the honeymoon?"

0

Lunch was a merry affair with plenty of food, laughter and conversation, Joseph's initial insecurity melting away as he happily joined in to the numerous conversations, unaware that Clarisse was watching him, pleased that he wasn't worried about fitting in- he WAS in, always had been and always would be.

She herself had been slightly surprised and put out when she had discovered that everyone else had known about Pierre's news before her, but she couldn't be too upset- in fact, she was so delighted that her son was coming home, she didn't really care that others knew before she did.

All too soon, lunch came to an end and the group had their different activities to go off to- Clarisse, Mia, Charlotte and the Motezes to finalize plans for the coronation; Joseph back to Scott and the security plans, and the others to enjoy the palace and it's surroundings before preparing for the formal dinner that night. The next two days would be extremely busy with ceremonies and celebrations, the country looking forward to the first coronation in thirty something years and seeing the crowning of a new Queen, and Clarisse knew that it would be one of the proudest days of her life... she only wished Phillipe could have seen her.

It was only when they rose from their seats that Clarisse remembered Joseph and that they wouldn't have much time together until after the ceremony, although there would be still more for Clarisse to do even though she wouldn't officially be Queen anymore...She felt a mild twinge of panic at the thought before she met Joseph's eyes and saw the reassurance she needed to realize that they would manage.

"I'll see you later," she murmured into his ear and he grinned back at her but before he could say anything, Mia squealed:

"You two are so cute together!" and Joseph immediately forgot what he was going to say to his wife as he stared at his granddaughter in disbelief.

"Cute?"

"Yes, cute," Mia giggled, but before she could elaborate, she was distracted and Clarisse took the opportunity to squeeze his hand.

"I'll see you later," he affirmed, leaning over to kiss her cheek, muttering as he did so: "How can she find us cute?" and Clarisse only chuckled before murmuring:

"That's our Mia!" before gliding out of the room with the others, followed by Joseph, who immediately headed downstairs to Scott- hopefully the meeting wouldn't take all afternoon and he could be back at Clarisse's side as soon as possible.

0

The afternoon flew by as per Joseph's wishes, but it flew by faster than he had imagined as he, Scott and the rest of the men pored over the floor plans, discussed the level of security needed for certain people both at the coronation and the ball that night and then general discussion, a little tweaking on the plans, and he was so involved in everything security wise, for a few moments missing his former job and the excitement he would miss tomorrow before a glance at his watch informed him that, if he wasn't careful, he would be late.

Joseph was about to make his excuses when Shades gave him a knowing look, knowing what time it was.

"It's okay, you'd better go, you don't want your wife killing you before your first official engagement as a married couple... have a good time!" he smiled wickedly at him- he had figured out Joe hadn't been serious about his threat to find someone else to replace him but this was his revenge and Joseph laughed, knowing what he was doing, before almost dashing out of the room, keen to be ready before Clarisse.

To his relief, she was occupied in her dressing room with her maids and Paolo and, upon discovering his tuxedo hanging up in the wardrobe (again thanks to her maids, he thought wryly), he grabbed it and a few other essentials and disappeared into the bathroom.

When Joseph emerged less than half an hour later, her dressing room was empty but she wasn't in the bedroom and the living room was dark, so he assumed that she was already in Mia's suite and he WAS late. He was almost at the main suite doors and was stretching his hand out for the doorknob, when he heard a soft chuckle and he whirled around to see the room suddenly light up as a lamp was clicked on and he saw his wife standing in front of the cold, empty fireplace.

"Going somewhere without me?" she teased as she almost glided towards him, resplendent in a blue silk sheath dress and matching jewels, her wedding band the sole ring gracing her hands and her simplest tiara perched on her recently styled hair... as per usual, she took his breath away.

"You... you look beautiful," he managed to gasp out before she was standing before him, adjusting his tie with a smile- this was something wives did, she reminded herself, and she was looking forward to do these type of things from now on. "I... I thought you were already in Mia's suite with the others."

"Without you?" she looked slightly shocked as she stepped back to cast her approving eye over him. "Why would I do something like that?""

Her husband shrugged, looking bashful, and Clarisse realized that he was feeling insecure and inadequate again (she had seen him look that way just before lunch) and she wanted to squash those feelings before he really began to think that way.

"Joseph... darling," she caressed his cheek for a moment before guiding his face so that he was looking at her. "I don't want you to ever feel that you are inadequate or socially inferior to the rest of us... you, to me, are far better than most if not all of the members of parliament and the foreign dignitaries who will be here tonight... I only MARRIED into royalty, Joseph, I'm not royal by blood so there is nothing different about either of us... and I want you to know that... I love YOU," she finished determindedly, a fierce glimmer in her deep blue eyes before she leaned over and kissed him, a kiss that she dragged out for as long as possible, wanting to leave no doubt in his mind that she loved and believed in him.

"So, are you going to tell me what else is bothering you?" and she made it clear, by her tone, that she wasn't moving until he told her.

"I'm a little nervous about the next few days," he admitted finally, embarrassed at the words. "I've always been in the shadows, and now..."

"It's going to be alright," she said sympathetically, fully comprehending his meaning. "Tonight is relatively simple and all you need to remember is that most of the protocol surrounding these events is nonsense... yes, we won't be sitting together at the table but you will be escorting me into dinner."

"But you're supposed to go in alone or with Sebastian..."

"Nevertheless, since tonight is my last night as reigning Queen, I want to break some protocols and I want YOU to escort me into dinner!"

"Yes, Your Majesty," he bowed to her before looking back at her, a tiny speck of worry in his eyes. "Are you sure?"

"I'm more than sure... do you want me to kiss you again to convince you?" she joked.

"Maybe," he made a move to pull her into his arms but she stepped back smoothly and turned to reach for a small box sitting on a nearby table before handing it to him.

"What's this?"

"You'll just have to open it and see," she smiled mysteriously and he opened the box to discover a pair of pearl and onyx cuff links sitting there. "They were Phillipe's..." she began before he pulled her into a one armed hug and kissed her forehead.

"I love them and I'll wear them tonight..." and he did just that, attaching them to his cuff links as they stood there, Clarisse pleased that she had given them to him. "Shall we?" he proffered his arm to her and she accepted it with a smile.

"We shall... and we're going to be fine," she said confidently and he suddenly believed her before he escorted her out of their suite, on the last night of Clarisse's reign as Queen of Genovia...

000

Dinner turned out better than either of them had expected- he had been nervous when they had strolled into the room for pre dinner drinks and everyone had turned to stare at him, but Clarisse had kept her arm through his during the introductions, a note of pride in her voice as she introduced him as "my husband" and he finally relaxed, although he noticed some of the visitors watching him, weighing him up in a way.

He felt more than a little guilty when he realized that, after he had escorted her to her seat at one of the five tables set up in the ballroom, that while she and Sebastian were sitting at the main table with some of the guests, he was sitting with Mia, Lily, Helen, Patrick, Sheila Motez and some of the others he knew and that he was also sitting with his back to his wife.

"Grandma planned it that way," Mia explained when he queried her. "She thought you would be more comfortable with people you know... and she seriously doesn't mind that you're not facing her..." but he couldn't resist turning around his chair to look at her- he still couldn't believe that she was his wife- and she caught his glance long enough to flash a radiant smile before they both turned back to their respective tables and the conversations swirling around them.

Even though Joseph was expecting it, it was nevertheless a long evening and by the time coffee, dessert and toasts rolled around, he was exhausted, as he could see Mia was as well, as well as looking a little nervous.

"Are you feeling alright about tomorrow?" he asked quietly.

"A little," she said softly with a sheepish smile. "I shouldn't be, as Grandma has taught me everything I need to know now, and I'll learn along the way, but still... tomorrow I'm going to be Queen... wow..."

"We're all very proud of you and you'll be a fine Queen... you don't need to be nervous, we'll all support you..." before he paused and decided to confess something to her- everyone else was talking amongst themselves and no one was taking any notice of them. "Actually, I was a little nervous this evening too..."

"Oh?" her expression perked up.

"Yes... about coming in here tonight as a guest, rather than as a security detail... I've only seen these people through security screens or from a distance, and they have walked by me without looking at me, noticing I was there, and now suddenly I'm married to the most powerful woman in Genovia... it's a little disconcerting, to say the least, to realize that they have to see me on equal footing now, that I'm a member of the royal family, albiet through marriage."

"They always should have, you're a man too and everyone should be treated equally," Mia said quietly. "They are definitely going to have to accept you as part of the royal family now, because you are!"" Mia joked before turning serious again.

"You don't need to be nervous around these guys or think that you're only a bodyguard, you are so much more than that... and Grandma thinks you're the best man in the room, so you had better start believing in it!"

"What goes around comes around, hey Princess?" he looked at her with an arched eyebrow, both remembering how scared Mia had been when she had had to make the choice between a normal life and life as a royal, and she laughed ruefully at his words.

"Touche, Joseph, touche!" but before she could say anymore, she was interrupted (and distracted) by someone behind him mentioning his name and he turned in his seat, curious as to why anyone would be mentioning his name on tonight of all nights... tonight was Clarisse's night, and Mia's... he shouldn't be mentioned at all... why were they mentioning him tonight?


	18. Alone Time

_A/N: ONE more chapter to go, I think and I'm already thinking of a few issues that could make a sequel... maybe..._

_Thanks to all my loyal readers and reviewers- you all rock!_

_The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!_

_Tonight was about Clarisse and Mia, not him... So who was talking about him... why were they mentioning him tonight... _ran through Joseph's mind again as he twisted in his seat to discover the source, before he realized that it was Sebastian who was speaking AND that Clarisse was standing next to him, discreetly signalling for Joseph to join her, which he quickly did, feeling incredibly self conscious.

"...The next few days are about the crowning of a new Queen and celebrating the achievements of Queen Clarisse, remembering all that she has done for our country... however, as I'm sure you're all aware, something else very special has occurred in her life with her recent remarriage to Joseph Bonnell, former Head of Security for the royal family..."

Joseph could hear the almost immediate whispers at some of the tables and could take a good guess as to what they were whispering about, as could Clarisse, judging by the way her hand slipped into his and squeezed, but rather than worry about what others were saying about him (although Clarisse was a different story- if anyone said anything derogatory about her...), he chose to focus on Sebastian talking and the fact that Clarisse was standing next to HIM.

"...an addition I, along with my colleagues and personal friends, am more than pleased to welcome- he has been part of palace life for as long as I can remember..."

"He makes me feel old when he says that," Joseph murmured into her ear and she smiled vaguely before they both focused back on Sebastian.

"While I already proposed a toast to them a week ago at their wedding, I would like to propose another toast to wish them all the happiness in the world together as they both enjoy well earned retirements," before he raised his glass to them, followed by the others and Joseph couldn't help but feel even more self conscious as he felt everyone's eyes on him as he hastily took a gult of champagne (he couldn't even remember being given a glass) before Sebastian turned his attention to Mia and, after squeezing Clarisse's hand again, he slipped back into his seat and smiled in pity as Mia went pink at everyone looking at her.

"I hate that," she murmured to Joseph once the toasts were over. "Although I suppose I'll have to get used to it..." she mused but before Joseph could commiserate with her, Charlotte was at her side.

"I'm sorry to disturb, Your Highness, but it's almost time for the arrow shooting ceremony and you need to go outside before everyone else..."

"Of course... excuse me," Mia slipped out of the room and it was only seconds later when one of the royal guards announced that it was time for the party to move into the gardens for the ceremony and the room suddenly became a mass of people heading in one direction, but when Joseph looked around for his wife, he discovered that she had already been escorted towards the door by one of her table mates, but instead of feeling insulted, he was more than happy to follow everyone else- he still preferred to stay in the shadows, although he knew that it was impossibility since he married Clarisse, but he still had hopes that things would settle down...

There was a moment's hesitation once they were all in the garden, waiting for the Queen to be to shoot the arrow, and Joe suddenly felt nervous for the Princess- it was an awfully difficult task and he didn't know whether the lessons she had had been successful... before the young woman confidently picked the bow and arrow up and, seconds later, the arrow zoomed through the ring and everyone immediately began cheering at her success while she smiled modestly in return.

It was only when she was back amongst the group of people who knew her best, after having her hand kissed numerous times that she finally relaxed, but Joseph noticed there was something wistful in her eyes.

"Thank goodness that's over!"

"Well done, Princess, I couldn't have done it better myself," Joseph said sincerely and the others immediately added their words of praise.

"Nor could I," someone said from behind him and he turned to see Clarisse standing there, her face glowing with pride, before she stepped forward to embrace her granddaughter, a move that Joseph knew she wouldn't have done publicly five years earlier, but now... everything was different. "You did so well, darling, I'm so proud of you and I know your father would have been too."

"Thank you," Mia said with a smile before glancing around furtively. "Grandma, would it be alright if I retired now? It's been a long evening and tomorrow is going to be a big day..."

"Of course, that's fine... in fact, I was planning on doing that myself... if my husband is ready," she looked at him inquiringly as she slipped her arm through his, knowing she was probably being too tactile for some of the more proper guests- she was supposed to be cold and distant- but she didn't care- she was a newlywed and the thought that, after tomorrow she would, for the most part, have a life free from duty and responsibility, delighted her.

"Whatever you say, my lady," he said amiably with a smile and encompassed them all in wave- the rest of the guests were drifting away- some were staying at the palace while others were staying elsewhere- before they began their stroll towards the palace, relieved that the evening was over...

0

"Did you enjoy yourself tonight?" Clarisse asked quietly as they entered the palace via the garden entrance and made their way through the ballroom, where some of the staff were setting up for tomorrow, out into the foyer and towards the stairs that led up to their suite.

"It was strange being there as a guest rather than doing a patrol of the grounds or watching the screens," he admitted almost shyly, blushing slightly. "For a moment or two, I felt as if I shouldn't be there, but thankfully you had me sitting at a table with people I knew," he gave her an impish grin.

"I wanted you to feel comfortable for your first outing," she said seriously. "I know you never asked for any of this," she paused to wave around the foyer.

"I knew what I was getting into when I asked you to marry me," he said mildly, lifting her hand up to his lips before they started up the stairs.

"Nevertheless, I wanted tonight to be as easy as possible for you... and you did belong in there," she added earnestly, again pausing to meet his eyes and make her message clear. "You are so much more of a gentleman than most of them in there and I'm proud of you..."

She had been watching him, albiet discreetly, all evening and she had been impressed at how he had mixed well with his table companions (although it had helped that they all knew each other) as well as politely chatting with those who had come to the table to introduce themselves. He may not have had the training she or Mia or her boys had had, but he was a gentleman all the way through and he clearly had class and breeding, although she never set a store by those things, although Rupert had as did some of the older members of parliament.

"There may be other occasions where we have to attend, even when Mia is Queen... and we may not be sitting together," she warned but he didn't look bothered.

"I know, but the important thing is that, at the end of the evening, you'll be leaving with me."

"Yes, I like that thought," she said with a smile as they arrived at their suite and Joseph followed her into the living room, Joseph's thoughts turning awy from official duties to instead focus on his wife and himself... they were finally alone...

"There is another thought that crossed my mind at dinner tonight that delighed me and was a boost to my ego."

"Oh?" Clarisse turned to him curiously and noticed that there was a gleam in his eye reminiscent of when they were at the beach and he was thinking of whisking her back inside... she blushed at the thought but she couldn't help but shiver in anticipation- after their trip, where they couldn't get enough of each other, this day had been (or seemed to be) longer than she had imagined and she suddenly longed for the beach house, their privacy and an endless afternoon in bed...

"I find it... a turn on... that my wife is one of the most powerful women in Genovia... and that... she's mine," he almost growled into her ear as he stood behind her and kissed the base of her neck as he ran his hands up and down her arms. "Not to mention the fact that she's the sexiest woman I now..." he added, kissing her neck again and fiddling with the zipper on the back of her dress.

Clarisse gasped slightly as his lips teased the back of her neck and long to turn around and throw herself into his arms but she suddenly realized she was still wearing a tiara and some very valuable jewellery, and it wouldn't do to leave it lying around, even if it was only seen by her maids.

"I'll be right back..." she breathed as she pulled away from him and headed towards her dressing room where her personal safe was located. She was so keen to return to Joseph, waiting in the living room, that she almost fumbled putting away her jewels- especially when she realized that Joseph WASN'T waiting for her but, instead, was standing behind her, jacketless, watching her put away her jewellery away as she could see from the reflection in her nearby dresser mirror.

"Oh darling, you startled me!" she laughed when she turned around. "I thought you would be getting changed..." before the rest of her words were cut off by his lips on hers and him gently but firmly pushing her up against the wall, trapping her between it and his body.

"Has today been as long for you has it has for me?" he breathed in between kisses and while Clarisse knew she had been reasonably occupied all day, the moment she had realized how long it had been (and him uttering those very words), she too knew it had been a long, long day...

"Oh Joseph... oh yes," she murmured huskily, feeling more like the free, sexy woman who had been discovered at the beach rather than the cool and proper Queen of Genovia. "I wish we were back there, alone and able to make love whenever we wanted..."

"We will be there again soon enough, my darling, I promise," he almost crooned as his hands found her zipper and he slowly eased it downwards while continuing to kiss her. "But for now, we'll need to make do here..." before he kissed her neck.

Clarisse's head was swimming from his kisses and his words- he had always been able to hynotise her whenever he kissed her- but she was more than a little surprised when, during a pause between kisses, she suddenly felt her dress being peeled away from her and slip to the floor... how had he done that... before he surprised her yet again by slipping his hands down her slip, caressing her gently and, before she knew it, she was standing in front of him in only her undergarments, her stockings and high heels. She felt self conscious, especially as she could fee his eyes on her as he began kissing her chest and slowly moving upwards, before he pulled away and tilted her chin up.

"You take my breath away, Clarisse."

"Even only in my underwear?" she said flippantly but he only nodded, still looking serious.

"Especially there...you are very powerful..."

"You like power?" she teased as she played with his tie, suddenly wanting him as undressed as she was and he laughed. "There are a lot of powerful people here tonight..."

"Only you are powerful over me... you have the power to render me completely helpless..."

"Oh?" Clarisse teased as she undid his tie and tossed it carelessly on the floor before starting to unbutton his shirt- this was crazy, undressing each other in her dressing room while making out like teenagers- but it was something she was enjoying immensely, especially as it was her husband she was undressing and driving him crazy with her hands- she could tell by the way his kisses and hands were becoming more and more frantic. Maybe coming back to the palace had been a good idea for their love life... maybe...

"Yes... you're so lovely, so sexy and you only have to smile at me and..." he trailed off as he kissed her long and passionately, preventing her from protesting, not that she would have said anything, so speechless was she from the moment, before he scooped her up in his arms and strode towards the bedroom, leaving her dress, her shoes and slip, his shirt and tie in their wake, the coronation the last thing on their minds...

0

"Are you nervous about tomorrow?" Joseph asked much later as they lay in the dark, her head on his chest and he was stroking her hair.

"A little," she sighed, shifting to make herself more comfortable."It's been my role and job for so long, Joseph, I am a little nervous about giving all of that up... I know Mia is going to be a wonderful Queen, but I think I'm going to miss it as well."

"That's understandable," he said quietly. "You have been Queen for a long, long time and have had so much responsibility, so much hassle on your shoulders... are you going to miss that?"

"Definitely not," Clarisse said definitely, running a hand up and down his smooth, muscular chest. "I have been getting so sick of dealing with spoiled men, travelling constant, always being photographed and pestered by the press and wearing out my hands and eyes by reading and signing so many papers- it is time for me to step down... I'm just afraid I won't be needed anymore," she finished in a small voice.

"You will ALWAYS be needed, my love," he said calmly, continuing to stroke her hair before allowing his hand to drift down to her bare shoulder and then on to lightly rubbing her back. "I very much doubt Mia is going to let you disappear without a fight... she's still going to need you for a long time... and I need you too..."

"Really?" she looked up and him and he was touched at the vulnerable timid tone in her voice- she had been so confident and in control during dinner, but now, as a woman, she was suddenly vulnerable and he found it endearing- hopefully she would allow the softer side of her nature to bloom and develop now that she wasn't on the throne.

"Really," he touched her cheek gently with his free hand. "I wish you would begin to realize how important you are to a lot of people, especially Mia and I..."

"I've been told I'm important, but the only people whom I really want to need me are you and Mia... and Pierre of course."  
>"Which we do, so<p>

that's that..." he said briskly and there was a silence before he asked, his turn to sound vulnerable. "Are you going to be happy simply being a wife?"

"Of course," she said quickly, moving up the bed so that she was resting on his pillow next to him. "Darling, it's all I've ever dreamed of and now that my dream has come true, I'm never going to let you go," she stroked his cheek gently before leaning over and kissing him.

"And part of that dream includes... seducing my husband whenever I want," she added in a lw, sultry tone before she kissed him again and Joseph responded instantly before, for the second time that night, they forgot that there was a coronation on the morrow...


	19. The Coronation

_A/N: FINALLY FINISHED! Woohoo!... Although I may have a sequel in the works, but may not be seen just yet, still have another story to finish!_

_Thank you to all my readers and reviewers- your support and reviews are why I keep writing, and I appreciate you all! I hope that you will continue reading my stories!  
>The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!<em>

The next morning, sunlight was beginning to stream through the crack in the curtains when Clarisse rolled onto her side after waking up, for a moment reorienting herself with her suroundings- her Queen sized bed and silk sheets seemed strange after a week sleeping in a slightly bigger double bed and cotton sheets at the beach- before she realized that Joseph wasn't lying beside her.

She was slightly surprised at that- he had promise that he would be at her side whenever possible throughout the day- but before she could consider the matter further, she heard a sound from the doorway and she looked up to see Joseph carefully carrying a breakfast tray into the room.

"Is this going to become a habit?" she asked eagerly as she sat up, pulling the sheet up with her, although she knew she didn't have to be shy or modest around Joseph. "You did this almost every day at the beach... so, are you going to continue doing this?"

"Not necessarily me going to the kitchen personally to prepare this tray, but maybe so... you deserve to be spoiled."

"You've always spoiled me, sweetheart... when do I get to do the same to you?"

"You spoil me by just being here with me," he said simply as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"That's not enough... I want to spoil you in a tangible way."

"I'll let you know about that," before he casually reached into his robe pocket and pulled out a small blue velvet jew box and handed it to her.

"What's this?" she looked at the box and then at him in astonishment but he only smiled mysteriously at her.

"You're just going to have to open the box and find out..."

She slowly and cautiously opened the box, gasping when she saw what was inside- a beautiful, simply cut diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds and sapphires.

"Joseph!" she gasped, looking at it before looking back up at him again with rapidly filling eyes. "Oh darling, it's so beautiful!"

"Do you like it?"

"Of course I do!" she cried- if not for the tray resting on her knees, she would have thrown herself at him. "It's beautiful, it's from you and that's all that matters to me."

"It's beauty outweighs the fact its from me?" he teased, pretending to be hurt but Clarisse, horrified at what she had said, was just about to open her mouth and explain when he rested his fingertips on her lips.

"I was only joking, darling, I know what you meant... I just though you could wear it tonight, even though you will be wearing gloves."

"No," she shook her head definitely and he was surprised and hurt.

"No?"

"No, I won't be wearing it tonight... I'll be wearing it all day today, beginning now... only... do I have to put it on myself?" she looked at him, her head cocked to one side and Joseph's look of disappointment immediately turned into one of joy.

"No, I think I can help," before he took the box away from her, removed the ring and slowly but carefully slid the ring onto the third finger of her left hand, allowing it to come to a stop in front of her wedding band before he thenlifted her hand and kissed her finger.

"Perfect," he almost whispered, their eyes meeting for a moment, her eyes shining happily before he leaned over and kissed her. "So, what are your plans for this morning?"

"Paolo will be coming around ten, I would like to see Mia and Pierre for a little while, if possible, and Sebastian and James will be here just before the ceremony to run through a few things, but there is nothing really pressing..." she paused to sip her tea. "...The real work will begin on Monday... although..." an idea suddenly struck her. "I would like to stop by the throne room for a few moments before Paolo comes... what are your plans?"

"As promised, I'll be staying with you for as long as you need me."

"I thought Shades would need you today..."

"I gave him all the training he needed, I oversaw the plans yesterday and gave them my thoughts and suggestions but now it's all up to him and his team... I am now retired... speaking of," he turned to her with a twinkle in his eye. "What happened to my retirement package? I'm supposed to have been guaranteed a great bonus after so many years of loyal service to the royal family, especially Her Majesty Queen Clarisse..." he trailed off with a suggestive grin and she laughed.

"I would have though you would have realized that you already have your bonus?" she teased with an equally suggestive smile and he chuckled as he set the tray aside and pulled her towards him.

"Yes, I do have a good bonus, I forgot about that," he teased as he nuzzled her neck before turning her face so that he could kiss her lips. "Well, we know where this could go..." he added huskily as she snuggled closer to him, her hands slipping into his robe.

"Yes, I know..." she said with a sexy smile- last night had been one of the most seductive nighs of her life... imagine, the Queen of Genovia undressing her husband (and being undressed herself) in her dressing room while making out like teenagers... she hoped that it would continue... before he pushed her away gently after depositing a kiss on her hose.

"Much as I too want this to continue, we do have other things that need our attention, starting with breakfast!"

She pouted playfully for a moment at his words but she knew he was right- it was going to be a big day and they needed breakfast to get through it!

0

After breakfast, they left the maids to clean up while they strolled arm in arm downstairs to the throne room- the palace was a flurry of activity with palace staff doing last minute cleaning, hastening along the hallways, cleaning up from the guests and finishing setting up for the ceremony. Shades and a couple of his men were in the foyer, talking amongst themselves, but Joseph and Clarisse slipped into the throne room without catching their attention.

To their surprise, they discovered Pierre was there, standing in front of the portrait of him and Phillipe, and while he looked just as startled when he spun around on his heels, his face relaxed when he realized who it was.

"You had the same idea I had," he said warmly as Clarisse moved to join her son, Joseph in her wake, her eyes filling with tears as she looked at the portrait of her boys, her main reason for staying in a marriage that made her miserable. Phillipe... how she missed him... before she realized that she was very lucky in that she still had one son.

"I'm so glad you're here," she cried emotionally as she turned to him. "I'm just sorry I haven't had much time to spend with you since the wedding.

"We've had this discussion before, Mama, and you don't need to worry about me feeling neglected- I've enjoyed catching up with things here AND getting to know my niece... we WILL have a chance to catch up, Mama," he looked at her earnestly. "I'm not returning to my parish for another week, and I will be back permanently before too long!"

"I just don't want you to think..."

"I'm not thinking badly of you at all..." before he hugged her. "We've always been fine, Mama, we don't need to worry... just enjoy today, seeing your granddaughter take over from you, Joseph at your side... we WILL catch up," he finished before kissing her cheek softly and glancing around the room. "I always liked this room, even when I knew I would never fulfill what Father wanted," before he glanced at his portrait again.

"I miss him too, but he would have been very proud of Mia..." before he began strolling towards the door, pausing and glancing at the portrait of Clarisse, captured when she was about 25 or 26.

"You were gorgeous then and you're even more so now.. I can still remember when you were posing for it."

"How can you, you were only three or four!"

"I just do," he said simply before smiling at Joseph. "Take care of her, Joe."

"I will," the older man came to stand at her side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Good, then I'm happy... and I'll definitely see you two later!"

There was a long silence before Clarisse wandered slowly towards that particular portrait and stood staring at it for a moment- she looked so young, so innocent... yet there was also sadness in her eyes and pain... even then, her marriage was troubled and the artist had managed to capture her anguish at that.

She hoped that Mia would never have the same look in her eyes after a couple of years on the throne- hopefully she would marry someone who would be good to her.

"I also remember you posing for that," she felt arms around her waist.

"Really? I didn't think you were here then."

"I was a very, very new junior night watchman here and while receiving the official palace tour, we looked in here and there you were... you were so lovely then, but little did I know that, one day, would be married to her."

"You were very, very lucky," she said solemnly before she looked at him with a smirk. "VERY lucky," she emphasized and he was about to tease her back when he looked at his watch and realized that they would have to return to the suite as Paolo would soon be arriving, but he didn't get a chance to say anything before...

"Grandma, Joe!" and they turned to see Mia in the doorway, a suit clad Nicholas Devereaux at her side. "I've been looking for you everywhere!"

"Well, we're here, although we'll have to go upstairs soon... Lord Nicholas, it's a pleasure to see you again," Clarisse smiled warmly at him- after his scene at the church and Joseph explaining that he hadn't been the source of the complications that had occurred in the past month, she was pleased to see him, more so when seeing how Mia beamed at him- he was obviously who she wanted and Clarisse was happy for her.

"Your Majesty, Joseph... it's good to see you both again, and I believe that congratulations are in order," Nicholas stepped forward to kiss her hand and shake Joseph's.

"Thank you," Clarisse almost blushed, embarrassed, before a glance at Joseph brought her back to her senses and the realization that they had to go. "Much as I would like to catch up, I believe that Paolo will be here soon and we have to start getting ready, Mia."

"I know... I wanted to ask if Nicholas could be a guest at the coronation."

"Of course," Clarisse said mildly. "He can stand with Joseph near the stairs," instantly surprising her husband while Mia, gleeful, disappeared out of the room with Nicholas.

"What?" Joseph looked surprised- he hadn't thought about where he would be standing at the ceremony but he had assumed that he would stand with the other guests- obviously he hadn't taken into account Clarisse's plans- but he didn't question her until they were walking upstairs.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you," Clarisse said with a serene smile, sure that he wouldn't mind. "You are going to stand near the podium, very close to the proceedings."

"I... I don't know..."

"You are MY husband, as well as her grandfather," she reminded him,turning to look at him. "I would like you nearby so you can see everything... I know you don't like being the centre of attention, but today... I need you."

"I understand," he said calmly, squeezing her hand. "I just hadn't expected it... but it will be good to see things from a good position rather than from a distance or on screen... hey, I'm discovering that there are more and more advantages to being married to a Queen!" he finished cheekily as he followed her into the suite and her only response was laughter.

0

The rest of the morning flew by, both royal suites alive with activity and people as the Princess and the Queen prepared for one of the biggest days in their lives- one Queen was stepping down while another was being crowned- and while Mia's suite was full of giggling girls, Clarisse's suite was much quieter and calmer, the Queen herself sitting calmly in the midst of the activity, sipping her tea, Joseph at her side and he was the only one who saw the trembling of her hand as she held her cup or the small shiver of her body as she dressed in the gold and green outfit that she had chosen only weeks earlier.

"Are you alright, my dear?" he asked solicitiously once the room had emptied and they were waiting for the signal for everything to begin.

"I'm fine," she said with a small, shaky smile as she stood at the window, her posture straight and the crown sitting on the table beside her, waiting to be put on at the exact moment- she already had a small coronet on her head.

"It's just that... all this waiting... all these years I've been hoping that Mia would do this... it's finally here... I can't believe that..."

"Neither can I," he said calmly as he joined her at the window and reached out to take her hands in his. "You have done so much for us, for our country, it's time for you to be free and to enjoy yourself..."

"With you," she finished softly as she beamed at him, her eyes brighter than ever. "I want that so much... and once Mia has fully settled onto the throne, we will be able to do that... we will be able to travel, to see the world..."

"Or simply just stay quietly in our suite, reading in front of the fire."

"I like that thought," she said softly, hoping that he would kiss her and she could see that he wanted to but... he seemed to hesitate.

"I don't want to ruin your makeup or anything... but may I kiss you?" he asked shyly and she nodded, her eyes shining.

"Of course... please..." before he slowly pulled her towards him, wrapped his arms around her waist and did just that, slowly, softly, romantically... before they were interrupted by a loud knock on the door. "Your Majesty!"

"Time to go," she said with a sigh, pulling away from him reluctantly just before Sebastian and Charlotte stepped into the room.

"I'll see you afterwards," he whispered into her ear, squeezing his wife's hand tightly, she squeezing back just as tightly, before nodding to the other two and quietly exiting the room... the moment they had been waiting for for a long time was almost here...!

0

The ceremony was everything that Clarisse, Mia, Charlotte and Sebastian had planned and hoped for- while formal and full of the pomp and ceremony that was always part of a coronation ceremony, but there was something more, something special as indicated by the look that Clarisse and Mia shared once the crown had been placed on her head and her grandmother stood back- it was Mia's time now...shortly before she felt Joseph step up beside her and she slipped her arm through his.

She was used to the stares and whispers whenever she made an entrance into a room, but today, she made the entrance simply for Joseph... she could feel his eyes on her as she slowly made her way down the steps, careful not to look anywhere but straight ahead, but she glanced quickly at him before walking towards the podium and the look he gave her... if she wasn't so painfully aware of everyone watching her, and the crown on her head, her knees would have given way underneath her.

She was a very, very lucky woman to have him in her life, to have him love her so much and she loved him too... the thought of the future with him excited her beyond words...she had her work to do in helping Mia settle on the throne, but one day, one day... it would be all about her and Joseph...

She stepped forwards when Mia made her way down the guard of honour, sceptre and orb in her hands, wanting to watch her make her first steps into the life that she had lived for so long, and when one of the guards announced: _"Presenting Her Majesty, Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi, Queen of Genovia!" _she felt a thrill of excitement and pride and, glancing at Joseph, she knew that he was feeling exactly the same way.

It was only once the anthem had been sung and the guard of honour had disbanded as the guests began to mill around that Joseph turned to her with a smile, Nicholas having drifted off into the crowd in search of Mia..

"You both did so very well, I'm proud of you both."

"I'm proud of Mia, she did very well and she's going to do wonderfully well as Queen."

"And you did very well yourself... I'm sure it wasn't easy letting go of the crown and a life that you have been living for so long..."

"I was ready... Mia will need us for some time to come, but I don't need that life anymore..." before she was interrupted by Mia's cheerful voice coming through the crowd and then, suddenly, she was beside them.

"Congratulations Prince... Your Majesty," Joseph bowed formally to her and kissed her hand, and Mia smiled and blushed.

"Thank you... but you can call me Princess... I guess that it will be your nickname for me- but only you can call me that!"

"Alright."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but Grandma, they have the doors to the front opened and the crowds want to see both of us..."

"Oh," Clarisse looked momentarily startled before looking at Joseph apologetically. "Joseph, I..."

"Go," he pressed her hand firmly. "You still have duties and I'll be waiting here for you..."

"Thank you," her eyes softened as she smiled, wishing she could touch his cheek but instead she squeezed his hand back. "I'll try not to be too long..." before she followed Mia back through the crowd, men and women stopping to bow and curtsey as they passed and Joseph watched her with a smile- she would always be known as Queen, but now she was simply, to him, his wife.

"They both looked beautiful," a voice said at his side and he turned to see Nicholas standing there. "You're a lucky man, Joe."

"As are you, Nicholas, if you and Mia are meant to be..."

"I hope so, Joe, I really do hope so..."

0

The rest of the afternoon flew by incredibly fast, Mia and Clarisse both busy with greeting guests, talking to the press and having pictures taken. Joseph didn't mind not seeing his wife or spending any time with her- after the previous evening's dinner, he had plenty of people to talk to and Nicholas was an extremely pleasant young man, introducing him to those that he didn't know and generally hanging around with him.

It was late afternoon when time seemed to slow and down and the guest disappeared to change for the ball that night, Nicholas sheepishly admitting that Mia, upon discovering that his uncle had thrown him out on the day of the wedding, had insisted that he return and stay at the palace until his life was sorted out again.

"I never really expected her to do or say anything..."

"Amelia is a surprising girl, but when she cares, she will do anything for you... very much like her grandmother."

Their suite was again a hive of activity when Joseph entered to shower and change into his tuxedo, which he did with a minimum of fuss, but he was just about to slip back out the door to go back down to the ballroom- if he couldn't see Clarisse, he would be more than happy to represent her downstairs with the guests- he felt a hand on his arm and he turned to see Clarisse standing there, resplendent in a dark blue ball gown with sapphire jewels at her throat and ears.

"Were you trying to sneak away without me?" she teased as she slipped her arm through his and they walked outside into the hallway together.

"I just thought that you might find me more useful downstairs."

"I find you more useful at my side," she said calmly, squeezing his arm. "I'm sorry about today..."

"Don't be," he said firmly, turning to look at her. "Today belongs to Genovia and to Mia and to you... I'm more than happy to support you and share you with everyone... after today, though, watch out!"

"Is that a threat?" she arched an eyebrow but she didn't look dismayed- she was actuallly secretly delighted at his words.

"Maybe so, maybe so..." he was about to continue walking but he discovered that she wasn't moving as well. "Is something wrong?"

"I have a favour to ask of you..." she looked suddenly shy.

"Oh?"

"Could you kiss me before we go downstairs?"

"That would be my pleasure," he said gently before he did just that, a kiss very similar to the kiss they had shared earlier that day, but with a twinge of passion in there as well.

"Thank you," she smiled dreamily at him. "That told me all I needed to know."

"Which was what?"

"That tonight... I'll be leaving with you..."

0

The evening seemed to fly by- after Mia's first official entrance beside Prime Minister Motez, to the dances she shared with almost all the members of parliament, ending up in Nicholas's arms after Sebastian's speech, she was clearly enjoying herself and everyone around her couldn't help but comment that she was absolutely radiant and looking very much like a Queen.

Clarisse was on the dance floor almost as much as Mia- most of the older men of parliament were feeling nostalgic and as such were feeling pleasant towards her, but she couldn't wait for the moment when she was able to finish her last dance and walk towards the last man who would dance with her that night, and whose arms she wanted to be in for the rest of the evening. He was talking with Nicholas and the Motezes, but his face lit up when he saw her approach.

"Good evening, everyone... I hope everyone is enjoying themselves."

"Absolutely," the group nodded in agreement, before she turned her attention towards Joseph. "I was wondering if I could ask my husband to dance... ladies choice."

"I would love to," he said, taking her hand and leading her out onto the dancefloor, following the dancing etiqutte before, moments after they started dancing, he pulled her close to her, so close that he could hear her heart beating against his chest.

"Am I your last dance partner tonight?" he murmured into her ear and she nodded fervently.

"Absolutely, I've had enough... Mia is the queen of the ball tonight, and I'm more than happy to relinquish that title to her."

They danced in silence for a few moments, enjoying being near each other and not having to stay apart, before Clarisse looked at him with a twinkle in her eye.

"I have an idea...do you think it would be terribly rude of us if we happened to slip out early?"

"I don't think it's at all rude... you were Queen but you can leave whenever you want... did you want to go for a walk in the garden?"

"That would be perfect," she said with a happy sigh. "Mia won't even notice us leaving...I'm glad she's happy and Nicholas is here with her."

"Me too," they watched the couple dance for a moment before he looked back at her again. "Are you happy, my love?"

"I am,"" she said softly, looking away for a moment before looking back at him. "We've been married a week today..."

"Well, that definitely means we can leave early tonight," he said as he lifted her hand to his lips before winding it through his arm.

"A week..." he marvelled as they strolled unobtrusively through the crowd, Mia waving merrily as they did so and, seconds later, they were out on the balcony, the star filled sky above them making the scenery even more romantic.

"Seems longer?" she joked.

"No... it seems like only a minute or two..."

"Life might not always be as easy as this," she said seriously as she leaned against the rail and she nodded. "We may argue..."

"But we can work it out together... that's one of the best things about being married at our age- we know each other so well, we know how we both think and feel."

"But I have a good feeling about us and our future..." she said quietly before she felt herself being turned around and arms around her waist.

"Me too, my darling, me too... to us!" he looked at her calmly, contentedly and she smiled before he pulled her even closer to him and kissed her, long and passionately.

"To us... and to our future!"


End file.
